Doctors associated with UA listed as best in America

More than 100 physicians associated with the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center are listed in the 2003-2004 Best Doctors in America database.

The database has over 35,000 physicians listed, but that only accounts for 4 percent of the doctors in the United States.

The list also specifies over 40 different specialties and 400 subspecialties.

The list includes doctors and faculty with various backgrounds and many teach at the University of Arizona.

Dr. Steven Barker, one of the doctors named on the list, specializes in anesthesiology and aerospace and mechanical engineering.

"There is a lot of physics and engineering involved in anesthesiology," said Barker.

"Developing devices monitoring patient oxygen delivery is an example of how the two come together," he said.

It's an honor somebody recommended me. I think it's a bigger honor to see that most of the people from the UA on the list are in my department. - Dr. Steven Barker

Dr. Barker has been on the list every year since he has been at UA, but still finds it flattering to be named.

"It's an honor somebody recommended me. I think it's a bigger honor to see that most of the people from the UA on the list are in my department," he said.

The Arizona Health Sciences Center includes University Medical Center, The University Physicians Inc. and the Arizona College of Medicine.

Dr. John Galgiani, who was also honored, specializes in infectious diseases, and spends his time investigating diseases that affect the Southwest.

"I do research to prevent valley fever one-third of the time. One-third of the time I teach medical students to be doctors, and the rest is spent treating people with valley fever at the VA Hospital," said Galgiani.

Dr. Galgiani decided to study valley fever by accident, but has made many improvements in diagnosing and treating the illness.

"I joined the faculty at the UA and it is the local problem, so I took the challenge," said Galgiani. "It's like a French chef; you cook with what you have."

Both physicians said reasons for being named to the list include taking one's field to a new level and medical specialization.

"Being a leader in the field was the most important thing," said Barker.

To get the complete list of doctors that made the list, visit bestdoctors.com or call 800-675-1199.