By Rep. Ted Vogt
Republican, Dist. 30

Arizona suffers from a critical shortage of physicians which is compounded by the downturn in the national and state economies and the subsequent loss of many jobs. Five years ago, the legislature took steps to address these issues by supporting the expansion of the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine in downtown Phoenix.

Despite our successes, the project stands at a crossroad. Having produced its first graduating class, the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine – Phoenix is poised to make an important developmental leap with the completion of the Health Sciences Education Building.

My colleagues in the state legislature endorsed the budget to construct the building in downtown Phoenix. This allows the university to expand its class sizes and bring other health science education programs to the campus. In addition to the College of Medicine expansion, plans have been made to add programs to the colleges of Pharmacy and Public Health. Northern Arizona University is also set to start a physician’s assistant program and will expand the physical therapy program at their campus.

The state must complete its commitment to training more health professionals to care for our citizens by funding the planned expansion as requested by the university. This $15 million request will pay innumerable dividends now and for years to come. It will do so not just by increasing the amount of health-care workers but also by increasing the amount of faculty, staff and research-based private spinoffs. According to a 2005 study by Tripp Umbach, those firms create a dramatic economic impact estimated to be at least $2.5 billion each year.

This appropriation will help the Phoenix campus realize part of its potential as the only medical school in the state’s largest city. Its effects will, however, be felt in every region of the state. To that point, many of the students enrolled are from rural Arizona and of those, many plan to return to establish practices in their hometowns.

The first 24 students of the program graduated in May. Sixteen chose to stay in Arizona and of those sixteen, all are pursuing careers as primary care physicians. There are currently 190 students studying medicine on the campus. The school is poised to increase that class size with the additional space of the new education building set for completion this summer.

These students are training with national leaders in academic medicine. They have already made their mark by excelling on national exams and providing free health services to the local community and beyond.

Their classes are instructed by professors and researchers from the college focusing on advancements in medical research on devastating diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and more. Through their collaborative efforts, they are tackling the challenging healthcare issues that face Arizona.

This appropriation will not only benefit the university system and the University of Arizona in particular, but all the citizens of Arizona. I recently introduced HB 2551, which the House Higher Education Committee heard and favorably passed. The legislation will restore funding for the expansion of health science education in downtown Phoenix. We want this funding included in the budget because it is vital to the future of healthcare services in our state.

This week, the Legislature took the first steps in the budget process. As a lawmaker, I know we have difficult fiscal decisions to make again this year. I, personally, want to make sure those decisions are made based on the long-term fiscal health of our state.

Arizona suffers from a significant lack of practicing physicians. At the same time, our economy and collective quality of life depends heavily on the research conducted in the Arizona’s medical facilities. This allocation signals the beginning of an age of improved healthcare for all Arizonans through stronger partnerships with hospitals, research centers and health organizations across the state.

By Matt Lewis
Freelance Journalist

Ernie Els at a press conference on Monday, Feb. 20 at the the WGC Accenture Match Play tournament. Today was the practice round and he said he's happy with his putting and accuracy. He switched golf balls recently. (Photo by Matt Lewis)

Have press badge will travel. I hadn’t officially received my press credentials and I still got in unscathed (also known as without paying for a ticket) before I had the proper documentation. For those who wish to follow my updates I will be live blogging at www.TucsonCitizen.com on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=10135664 and on Twitter at the handle @themattmonitor.

Watching these players is like going to the zoo in the sense that they are behind the ropes, and given special treatment. These players this week are the 64 best (or almost – Ernie Els excluded) male professional golfers in the FedEx Cup Points standings for the Professional Golf Association of America.

These players deserve special treatment, but to be behind the ropes? Are we animals? The short answer is yes. I would love to say that we are evolved, civilized and professional people; but I can’t speak for everyone.

Today was the first press conference of a sports-related nature I ever attended. I rubbed elbows with local and national media professionals and talked about everything from golf, to Jeremy Lin to Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu. I won’t name names, that’s not the type of journalist I am. I respect professional courtesy and understand that everything we discussed was deep-background and even off-the-record. I work hard to remain professional, but am still young. Please forgive me if I go astray this week.

Mr. Els answered a few questions to only about 15 journalists. As the week goes on the press conferences will be packed. Wait until Sunday, I won’t get in because I’m a lowly blogger.

Both Ryan and Patrick Finley, from the Arizona Daily Star Sports Department, were there to cover the press conference. Ernie Els apparently is a big deal to the local media. Els is from South Africa. (Photo by Matt Lewis)

Mr. Els is sponsored in part by Callaway Golf and said he is switching to a hex-patterned golf ball this week. For all you non-golfers who still follow the sport, a hex pattern is simply the shape of the little dimples on the golf ball. The hext has been tried (and unproven) for years. It is an alternative to rounded dimples, but Mr. Els says it helps his golf game.

The ball goes higher and further, he said sort of laughing it off. This man is tied for the bottom-of-the-barrel when it comes to driving distance – so he needs all the help he can get.

One reporter asked him why he publicly said that this tournament was not his favorite. He responded, I intentionally didn’t take notes, because who cares?! Some people like some things, other people like others. They have their reason, it’s not important to what he does as a profession. He’s here to make money, plain and simple.

A journalists question: There’s some uncertainty about the long-term future of this tournament here at this venue and in this area. Where do you stand on it being held here not only at the Ritz-Carlton [at Dove Mountain] but in the Tucson area?

Mr. Els answer: “I think it’s the perfect venue. You’ve got the world class resort right here. The airport is pretty close. We get good crowds out here. We’ve got an exciting venue in the design.” (His response goes on, but it’s not exciting.

My favorite question of the conference was a question about Phil Mickelson and his dropping out of the tournament this week; which gave Mr. Els a spot in the field. He was given the opportunity and publicly told Mr. Mickelson that he would buy him a steak dinner. He went back on his word, but said he has a few nice bottles of wine to give Mr. Mickelson.

By Pearl Chang Esau,
President/CEO, Expect More Arizona

Arizonans cannot afford to wait for better education. Although Arizona is one of the fastest improving states in education, at the current rate, it would take decades for our students to catch up with those in the number one state in the country, Massachusetts.

Arizona students continue to lag their national and international peers in academic performance, high school graduation rates and degree attainment. With 74 percent of Arizona fourth graders below proficient in reading and 69 percent of our eighth graders below proficient in math, the gap is only widening between the preparedness of our graduates and the skills and knowledge Arizona employers require.

Fortunately, Tucson has many examples of bright spots that show all of us the potential for Arizona education.  Tucson Unified School District’s University High School was recently named a 2011 Higher Performing School by the National Center for Education Achievement; Vail Unified School District is nationally recognized for its use of technology to engage students and raise student achievement; BASIS Charter School, which started in Tucson and has grown to other parts of the state, was named a top high school by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report; and the University of Arizona is ranked among the top public research universities in the nation.  All of them embrace a culture of high expectations and are working to ensure all students graduate ready to compete and succeed in the 21^st century global economy.

Arizona needs more of these bright spots, and the public has an important role in making that happen. In addition to its efforts to mobilize students, business leaders and voters, Expect More Arizona, a statewide movement dedicated to making Arizona education the best in the nation, recently launched a parental engagement initiative.  Its goal is to challenge more Arizona parents to create a high expectations culture in their home, ultimately increasing the academic success of our students.

Creating a high expectations culture in the home is one of the most important commitments parents and families can make to their student’s future and it starts with making education a family priority—ahead of sports, entertainment and work. Second, parents need to set completing college or other postsecondary program as the ultimate academic goal for their student. And third, parents must commit to being actively engaged to ensure their child is on the path to succeed in college and career.

As part of its new initiative, Expect More Arizona is providing valuable information, tools and resources to help parents stay engaged in their child’s academic success every step of the way including at-home activities by age and benchmarks by grade at www.ExpectMoreArizona.org.

From a variety of studies and conversations with students we know students with actively engaged parents are more likely to do well academically and go on to college or other postsecondary program. Education starts at home and with your help we can create transformational change that ensures every Arizona student receives the highest quality education – from birth through career.