John Thomas (Jack) Boyer, MD
Founding Member
In 1969, Dr. Boyer joined the faculty of the University of Arizona's new College of Medicine. He became one of Tucson's first geriatricians, while also practicing hematology and rheumatology and training medical students, residents and fellows.
During his years of subsequent academic practice, Dr. Boyer launched three divisions — geriatrics, hematology and rheumatology — in the Department of Medicine, co-founded the Center on Aging, in addition to becoming a founding member of the Arthritis Center.
A gifted clinician and educator, Dr. Boyer practiced at the University of Arizona for 24 years, until his retirement in 1993.
James J. Corrigan, MD
Founding member
Throughout his career, Dr. Corrigan held numerous leadership positions, having a tremendous impact on patients, families, medical students and residents. His career path took him from chief of the pediatric hematology/oncology section at the University of Arizona to chief of pediatric rheumatology and director of the Mountain States Regional Hemophilia Center.
At the UA Arthritis Center, he worked in developing animal models, which led to never before known medical treatments for hemophilic arthritis, the first such approach in the world. Eventually this research led to treatment for hemophilic arthritis in patients, thus avoiding the dangers of surgery.
In 2012, the James J. and Carolyn Corrigan Support Fund in Pediatric Rheumatology was created. Supporting faculty members in pediatric rheumatology performing research into the causes and treatment of juvenile arthritis.
Eric P. Gall, MD
Founder
Dr. Gall was the first board-certified rheumatologist to come to the University of Arizona and served as a member of the University of Arizona (UA) College of Medicine faculty for 27 years. He held multiple leadership positions, including establishing and directing the fellowship program for Rheumatology and serving as Chief of the Rheumatology/Allergy & Immunology Division. He was the founding director of the University of Arizona Arthritis Center, associate director of the NIH-sponsored multidisciplinary Southwest Arthritis Center, and held the Charles A. L. and Suzanne M. Stephens Endowed Chair in Rheumatology.
His clinical and research interests were broad. Initially, his research focused on disease pathogenesis and animal models of inflammatory arthritis, including the role of complement. He also studied treatment options in animal models of hemophilic arthritis. He served as an expert consultant on metabolic bone disease and hypermobility disorders. Later, he transitioned to the development and evaluation of educational tools, curriculum reform, and interprofessional education.
James L. Parsons, MD
Founding Member
Dr. Parsons was instrumental in leading the community in its efforts to establish the College of Medicine at the University of Arizona. He was a founding faculty member of the Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Section in the Department of Medicine.
When the National Arthritis Advisory Board was formed, he testified at the first hearings and supported the formation of NIH Sponsored Multidisciplinary Rheumatology Centers of Excellence. When they were approved by Congress & President Ford, he led the community’s efforts to assist the medical school to successfully plan for, and compete, to become one of the first 11 centers in the nation.
Charles A.L. Stephens, MD
Founding Member
Dr. Stephens served with a medical unit in the European Theatre during WWII from shortly after D-Day through the Battle of the Bulge. Dr. Stephens was chief of a shock team in the mid-1940s. His unit received a Presidential Unit Citation and Dr. Stephens individually received the Bronze Star and five battle stars.
After the war, Dr. Stephens came to Tucson where he became a principal rheumatologist with the Holbrook-Hill Medical Clinic and thereafter established his own medical practice. Throughout his career, he maintained robust clinical and research collaboration with the division of rheumatology at the University of Arizona.
After witnessing the advances in clinical care and bench-to-bedside research at the University of Arizona Arthritis Center, Charles A. L. and Suzanne M. Stephens established an endowed chair for the director of the Arthritis Center and an endowed fund for the advancement of rheumatology research (2001).
Joseph Steven Strong, MD
Founding Member
Dr. Strong received his medical doctorate at the University of Kansas School of Medicine where he also completed residency in internal medicine and fellowship in rheumatology.
A member of the Holbrook-Hill Rheumatology Clinic, Dr. Strong was an integral part of the Southwestern Clinic and Research Institute (SCARI), serving as board chairman, and facilitating the move of SCARI to the University of Arizona Arthritis Center. He practiced in Tucson from 1972 until his retirement in 2018.
Serving on the Arthritis Center Advisory Board until his passing, Dr. Strong also remained active in the medical community long after his retirement.
Robert G. Volz, MD
Co-Founder
Co-founder and surgical director (1985-92) of the University of Arizona Arthritis Center (UAAC) and founder of the UA Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Dr. Volz was a true pioneer in the field of orthopaedic surgery.
He was chief of the Section of Orthopaedic Surgery and a professor of surgery until his retirement in 1992. An honored professor emeritus at the UA, Dr. Volz was recognized as a Who’s Who in the World for his contributions to the field of medicine and was on the “Best Doctors in America” list. He also was co-founder of the Western Trauma Association, one of only two nationally recognized research trauma societies in the United States, and was the Lifetime Surgical Director of the UAAC. Dr. Volz designed some of the first artificial joints in the United States, including the first artificial wrist and created innovative designs for the elbow and knee.
Long known as one of the scientific leaders in the orthopaedic world, Dr. Volz was ecognized by the U of A as one of its top innovators of the past 100 years.