Ernest R. Vina, MD, MS

Dr. Vina is a professor of medicine in the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson and serves as the Division of Rheumatology fellowship program director. 

He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychobiology from UCLA in 1999 and his medical doctorate from the Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, in 2004. He completed his internal medicine residency at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he also completed a Health Services Research fellowship. His rheumatology fellowship was completed at the University of Chicago Medical Center in 2011, where he also earned a master’s degree in Health Studies. He joined the University of Arizona College of Medicine and the Division of Rheumatology in 2014.

Prior to coming to the University of Arizona, Dr. Vina served as an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and as a staff rheumatologist in the Veterans Administration Pittsburgh Healthcare System. He was also a core investigator at the VAPHS Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, a VA Center of Excellence.

Dr. Vina’s research interests include racial disparities in systemic lupus erythematosus, treatment preferences, racial disparities in osteoarthritis, quality of care and health services.

He is a member of the American College of Rheumatology and has authored numerous publications on osteoarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, racial and ethnic disparities, treatment preferences and other topics in rheumatology and musculoskeletal disease.

Dr. Vina is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology.

DEGREES

BS: Psychobiology, UCLA
MS: Health Studies, University of Chicago
MD: Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University

RESIDENCY

Internal Medicine – Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, UCLA

FELLOWSHIPS

Health Services Research – Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Rheumatology – University of Chicago

BOARD CERTIFICATIONS

American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine – General
American Board of Internal Medicine, Rheumatology – Subspecialty