AHSC Notable Contributions: Arizona Health Sciences Center: The University of Arizona

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	2001	The University Medical Center Cardiothoracic Surgery Team performed another medical first in Arizona. Led by Jack G. Copeland, MD, UMC chief of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, the team successfully implanted the Arrow LionHeart(tm) -- a fully implantable mechanical heart assist device -- in a 66-year-old man from Sun Lakes, Ariz.
	2000	In May, a 7-year-old boy from Nogales, Ariz., became the first patient in the United States to receive a "Berlin Heart," a biventricular assist device made in Germany. Carlos Ochoa was placed on the "Berlin Heart" during a procedure at University Medical Center performed by Jack G. Copeland, M.D., chief of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery and co-director of the UA Sarver Heart Center. Carlos later underwent a successful heart transplant procedure. In June, University Medical Center completed its 250th and 251st kidney transplants in back-to-back surgeries. A 28-year-old Tucson woman received a new kidney and a 30-year-old Tucson woman received a kidney-pancreas transplant. UMC's kidney transplant program began in 1991. It currently has about 150 people on a waiting list for kidney transplant. The hospital's program has a survival rate of 97 percent after one year, 93 percent after three years and 86 percent after five years for adults. For children, the survival rate is 95 percent for one, three and five years.
	1999	Surgeons with University Medical Center's Kidney Transplant Program have reached a milestone of performing the program's 200th transplant. Marjorie Rorabaugh, University Medical Center's longest-surviving heart transplant recipient, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the surgery.
	1998	The University Medical Center Cardiothoracic Transplant Program performs a milestone 500th transplant January 2nd on a Phoenix mother of two. The procedure was led by Jack Copeland, M.D., chief of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at UMC, and the founder of the transplant program.
	1997	The Department of Ophthalmology at the College of Medicine, in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, begins a first-ever study of the prevalence and causes of eye disease among Mexican Americans.
	1995	The College of Nursing is ranked the sixth-best of 491 accredited nursing schools in the United States, the highest national ranking ever achieved by the College. A surgical procedure called dynamic cardiomyoplasty, which uses a patient’s back muscles to stimulate the pumping action of their failing hearts, is performed at University Medical Center for the first time on 63-year-old Ted Gamble of Colorado.
	1994	University Medical Center’s Cardiothoracic Transplant Program performs its 400^th transplant.
	1993	Jack G. Copeland, M.D., and a University Medical Center surgery team perform the first implant of the CardioWest total artificial heart on 46-year-old Sharoyn Loughran of Scottsdale. University Medical Center cardiothoracic surgeons perform Arizona’s first double-lung transplant on 19-year-old Rusty Smith, who was suffering from cystic fibrosis.
	1992	University Medical Center’s first liver transplant is performed by Paul Nakazato, M.D., on Loretta Barela, a 57-year-old mother of four from Globe, Arizona. The FDA approves an application allowing University Medical Center to make total artificial hearts available again in the United States as a bridge to heart transplantation.
	1991	The Jarvik artificial heart and ventricular assist device technology is transferred to a joint venture between University Medical Center and Medforte Research Foundation on Salt Lake City. The move saves artificial heart technology.
	1989	Surgeons use a cancer-fighting technique called intraoperative radiation that allows physicians to treat tumors with radiation in the operating room immediately prior to performing surgery.
	1988	The first bone marrow transplant program in the Southwest is established. The program is a combined effort of University Medical Center, the College of Medicine, the Arizona Cancer Center and The University Physicians.
	1987	The Children’s Research Center is established to coordinate multi-disciplinary research, expand research training and apply research findings to patient care.
	1986	University Heart Center is established to provide state-of-the-art cardiovascular disease research and treatment.
	1985	The first bridge-to-transplantation of the Jarvik-7 artificial heart is performed at University Medical Center by Jack Copeland, M.D., on patient Michael Drummond.
	1979	The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center is formally established by the Arizona Legislature. Administered by the College of Pharmacy, the center receives calls 24 hours a day from across Arizona. Arizona’s first heart transplant is performed by Jack Copeland, M.D., on Norman, "Dutch" Tarr, 49.
	1977	A federal grant is awarded to University Medical Center, then called University Hospital, to establish the Southwest Arthritis Center.
	1976	A revolutionary human tumor cell cloning technique developed by an Arizona Cancer Center team opens dramatic doors in cancer research.
	1974	Robert Volz, M.D., a UA orthopedic surgeon, implants an artificial wrist, the first time a man-made wrist joint with mobility successfully replaces a damaged wrist.
	1973	University Medical Center, then called University Hospital, is nationally recognized for helping to reduce Arizona’s infant mortality rate by 50 percent in two years through the use of intensive care units specifically designed for infants.
	1971	University Medical Center, then called University Hospital, opens and is the only facility in the world using innovative X-ray film which doesn’t have to be handled in total darkness.
	1967	The College of Medicine welcomes its first class on Sept. 11, just as the Basic Sciences building was completed.
	1957	The College of Nursing accepts its first students on the UA main campus.
	1947	The first class at the newly formed School of Pharmacy opens on the UA main campus on Sept. 7. Two years later, the school was designated the College of Pharmacy.

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