Dr. Ana Maria López and Dr. Daniel Spaite Receive Honors

2010

Ana Maria López, MD, MPH, Honored as 2010 Woman of the Year by Hispanic Professional Action Committee

Ana Maria López, MD, MPH, FACP, associate dean for outreach and multicultural affairs and professor of medicine and pathology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, has been chosen 2010 Woman of the Year by the Hispanic Professional Action Committee (HPAC). Dr. López also is medical director for the Arizona Telemedicine Program, a member of the Arizona Cancer Center and the UA BIO5 Institute, and serves on the board of directors of University Physicians Healthcare, the non-profit corporation created in 1985 as the medical practice of the physicians of the UA College of Medicine.

In announcing the award, HPAC noted Dr. López’ many accomplishments, including numerous awards for academic and research pursuits, while highlighting her care for patients, and her “heart of gold.” As associate dean for outreach and multicultural affairs, she advocates for the development of best practices to recruit and retain students of diverse backgrounds to the health professions. Dr. López has published her work in medical journals and has authored multiple book chapters. She has been selected as one of the “Best Doctors in America” since 2002. In 2005, she was nominated by U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva for the designation of Local Legend. She subsequently was selected by the American Medical Women’s Association and National Library of Medicine to honor her commitment, originality, innovation and creativity in the field of medicine. The Local Legends are recognized in the exhibit, “Changing the Face of Medicine: Celebrating America's Women Physicians,” presented by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. In 2006, Dr. López received the U.S. Distance Learning Association’s Gold Award in Videoconferencing for her outreach education program with promotoras (community health workers). In 2009, she was honored as a Hepburn Fellow by her undergraduate alma mater, Bryn Mawr College, where she has brought her passion for addressing health disparities to faculty and students.

HPAC is a non-profit, non-partisan, Tucson-based organization whose purpose is to effect change by monitoring and studying issues that impact Hispanics at local, regional, national and international levels.

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Daniel Spaite, MD, Receives Ronald Stewart Career Award from the National Association of Emergency Medical Services Physicians

Daniel Spaite, MD, professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, was awarded the Ronald Stewart Career Award by the National Association of Emergency Medical Services Physicians (NAEMSP). It is the highest honor awarded by NAEMSP, given for “outstanding contributions in pre-hospital care and the development of quality EMS throughout the world.”

Dr. Spaite is director of the EMS (emergency medical services) Research Focus Unit at the Arizona Emergency Medicine Research Center and currently serves as base hospital medical director for University Medical Center. He served 18 years as medical director for UMC AirCare and LifeNet Arizona EMS helicopter services and has advised, directed and mentored EMS providers in Southern Arizona for the past 24 years.

Dr. Spaite also chairs the Southeastern Arizona Regional EMS Council, serves on the Pima County EMS Council and has many national EMS responsibilities. He has written more than 100 scientific articles and abstracts and has presented his research on cardiac arrest and injury prevention at many international conferences. He participates in frequent medical missions to the underserved in Armenia and Honduras.