Arizona Health Education Alliance NEW

Four impressive partners. One exceptional alliance.

The Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance is a collaborative framework that brings together academic and clinical partners to advance health sciences education, clinical learning environments, research and teaching. Through this partnership, learners across multiple disciplines—including medical students, residents, fellows, nurses, allied health professionals and others—benefit from shared expertise, infrastructure and training opportunities. 

Closeup of white coat with Arizona Health Education Alliance logo on it.

Preparing Healthcare Providers for the Challenges Ahead

Arizona ranks in the bottom third of the nation for physicians per 100,000 people. As one of the country’s fastest-growing states, Arizona faces increasing demand for physicians and other health professionals to serve an aging population and new generations of residents. 

The Arizona Health Education Alliance addresses this need by strengthening and expanding residency and fellowship programs across partner institutions and providing the infrastructure, support and resources that elevate those training experiences. The Alliance aims to train exceptional health professionals distinguished by our focus on justice in healthcare, service to others and an innovative interprofessional environment.  

Residencies and Fellowships

We offer 18 residency and fellowship programs sponsored by Creighton University School of Medicine–Phoenix, with residents and fellows training at Valleywise Health Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. Our trainees are selected from top medical schools across the United States and around the world and receive advanced medical education grounded in scholarly activity, collaboration and compassionate, patient-centered care.

Through exposure to a diverse patient population and a broad range of clinical experiences, residents and fellows have meaningful opportunities to learn, lead and improve health outcomes locally, statewide and nationally.
 

Clinical Rotations

The Arizona Health Education Alliance works with its partner health systems to ensure that Creighton University Health Sciences students enrolled in Phoenix have priority access to clinical training opportunities. While supporting Creighton’s educational primacy, the Alliance also fosters opportunities for students from other health professions, schools and colleges to train alongside Creighton learners, creating a diverse and collaborative clinical learning environment.

Together with its partners, the Alliance helps promote appropriate learner capacity across clinical services, ensuring that students have meaningful, high-quality experiences without overcrowding training sites. Through this collaborative approach, the Alliance supports the development of well-prepared health professionals while strengthening Arizona’s healthcare workforce.
 

Student TypeValleywise HealthSt. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center
Third-Year Medical and Podiatry StudentsReview requirements through Valleywise Undergraduate Medical Education and submit applications through Clinician Nexus. 
Fourth-Year Medical and Podiatry StudentsReview requirements through Valleywise Undergraduate Medical Education and apply through Clinician Nexus.Review and apply for available electives through the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) program.
Physician Assistant and Nurse Practitioner StudentsAcademic coordinators should contact the appropriate Valleywise clinical department directly regarding availability and scheduling.Email azsa-academicaffiliations@commonspirit.org. 
Nursing StudentsAcademic coordinators should submit rotation requests through My Clinical Exchange. Approved students and instructors also complete required documentation and training there.Email azsa-academicaffiliations@commonspirit.org before submitting a request through My Clinical Exchange.
Pharmacy, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy StudentsAcademic coordinators should contact the appropriate Valleywise clinical department directly regarding availability and scheduling.Email azsa-academicaffiliations@commonspirit.org. 

For general questions about clinical rotations through the Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance, email alliance@creighton.edu. 

The Alliance Partners

Creighton University

Creighton University is a nationally ranked and recognized institution that delivers a leading health sciences education. Its interprofessional approach reflects the future of clinical care and is an extension of its classroom teaching. The School of Medicine is committed to preparing students for the medical opportunities and challenges in patient care, teaching, research and service. The College of Nursing has a national reputation for excellence in providing nursing education, a commitment to service, and being at the forefront of the ever-changing field of nursing. The School of Pharmacy and Health Professions has a rich tradition and history of being a pioneer in educating occupational therapists, pharmacists and physical therapists. 

Valleywise Health

With locations throughout Maricopa County, one of the country's fastest growing metro areas, Valleywise Health has a proud 149-year tradition of providing exceptional care, without exception, every patient, every time. Today, the health system includes one of the nation's top public teaching hospitals, a world-renowned burn center and Arizona's largest HIV primary care center. From a new state-of-the-art acute care hospital, including the Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center and Level I Trauma, to three behavioral health hospitals and 11 community health centers, Valleywise Health is here for every member of the community.

District Medical Group, Inc. (DMG)

DMG is a not-for-profit entity consisting of more than 650 credentialed providers representing all the major medical and surgical specialties and subspecialties. Professional clinical services encompass all physicians and mid-levels staffing a 246-bed acute care hospital, 412 psychiatric hospital beds, two large diagnostic centers, 9 family health centers, a nationally and internationally recognized burn center and numerous outreach programs. More than 95% of DMG physicians are board certified in over 25 specialties. 

Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center

Located in the heart of Phoenix, Dignity Health St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center is a  576-bed, full service, not-for-profit hospital that provides a wide range of health, social and support services. A nationally recognized center for advanced medical care, medical education and research, St. Joseph’s includes more than 5,700 employees and nearly 2,000 physicians representing all major specialties. The hospital is home to the internationally renowned Barrow Neurological Institute, Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, Norton Thoracic Institute, and Arizona’s first Level I Trauma Center verified by the American College of Surgeons. Dignity Health St. Joseph’s is a member of CommonSpirit Health, one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit health care systems. 

Dignity Health Medical Group (DHMG)

Dignity Health Medical Group offers comprehensive medical services throughout Arizona with more than 300 medical experts and 40 medical clinics covering a wide range of specialties, including primary care, family medicine, internal medicine, specialty medicine and surgical treatment. Dignity Health Medical Group is a member of CommonSpirit Health, one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit health care systems.

Leadership

The Arizona Health Education Alliance is led by Executive Director, Erica Brown, and our Governing Board. The board is responsible for developing, implementing and evaluating the Alliance strategic plan for nurturing optimal clinical and academic learning environments. It also provides strategic direction on policy, budgetary and infrastructure matters.

Voting Board of Directors

  • Robert “Bo” Dunlay, MD – Chair: Dean, Creighton University School of Medicine
  • Douglas Ross, MD – Vice Chair: President, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center
  • Mardell Wilson, EdD, RDN – Provost, Creighton University
  • Michael White, MD, MBA – President and CEO, Valleywise Health
  • Jodi Carter, MD – Interim Chief Medical Officer, Valleywise Health
  • Tim Bricker – President, Central Region CommonSpirit Health
  • Kote Chundu, MD – President and CEO, District Medical Group
  • David Wisinger, MD – Chief Medical Officer, District Medical Group
  • Randy Pritza, MD – System Senior Vice President, Physician Enterprise, Central Region CommonSpirit Health

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why was the Alliance established?

Since 2011, Creighton University School of Medicine has built an excellent reputation and strong presence in Phoenix. That longstanding commitment created an opportunity for Alliance members to collaborate with a respected academic partner, helping attract top-caliber faculty and students to residency and fellowship programs. It also expanded access to advanced training opportunities for medical professionals currently practicing in the state. 

How does the Alliance help the people of Arizona?

The collaborative organization focuses on expanding advanced medical training, accelerating research and advocating for medical education resources. Its goal is to prepare new generations of physicians, nurses and allied health professionals to improve health outcomes. With Arizona ranking in the bottom third nationally for physicians per capita, metro Phoenix and the state need more healthcare professionals and more high-quality local training opportunities.

What role does the Alliance have in Creighton University’s Health Sciences Phoenix Campus?

Creighton University is solely responsible for its Health Sciences Campus in Phoenix but Alliance goals complement those schools and colleges. Alliance member institutions will benefit from the pipeline of future healthcare professionals trained by Creighton faculty, and Creighton benefits from Alliance programs that provide residencies, fellowships, clinical rotation primacy and other training opportunities for Creighton health sciences learners.

Will this partnership impact current teaching and research relationships in health education?

Although the member institutions have primary responsibility to Creighton learners, both Valleywise and St. Joseph’s are committed to continuing to support training opportunities for students from other schools and colleges. Similarly, collaborations in research are expected to grow.

How is the Alliance funded?

Each core member of the Alliance contributes to the annual budget. This funding covers staffing, facility leasing, educational expenses for housestaff and general operating expenses.

How many residents and fellows train at Alliance member institutions?

More than 350 residents and fellows within 18 different specialties and subspecialties currently train at member institutions. Fifty-eight percent of our graduates remain in Arizona upon the completion of their training. Our graduate medical education programs are sponsored by Creighton University School of Medicine – Phoenix.

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