Are you being served? Doctors’ Day recognizes U of A/Banner Health physicians

Physicians line up for food in the College of Medicine – Tucson Social Hall (Room 2500) where Banner – University Medicine hosted a luncheon March 30 for them in honor of National Doctors’ Day, celebrated that day every year since 1933.

At left, palliative nurse practitioner Kyleigh Staples, NP, seated with Jenny Plitt, MD (center), and Amy Klein, MD (right), associate director and director of the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program at the College of Medicine – Tucson. And between Drs. Plitt and Klein, Melissa Zukowski, MD, an Emergency Medicine physician.

Enjoying an Asian-themed lunch for National Doctors’ Day, Banner – UMC Tucson hospitalists Ahmad Iftikhar, MBBS, and Ali Raoof, MD, who also are assistant professors in the Division of Inpatient Medicine, with Fariba Donovan, MD, PhD, a Division of Infectious Diseases associate professor and research scientist at the U of A Valley Fever Center for Excellence.

Department of Medicine chair Jim Liao, MD, looks over the fare and chats with the servers during the National Doctors’ Day luncheon sponsored by Banner Health at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and BUMC South as well as Banner – University Medicine North.

With plate in hand, Jim Liao, MD, chair of the Department of Medicine and a cardiovascular diseases specialist, moves on to the next available fare at the National Doctors’ Day luncheon, which included ginger beef, fried rice, spring rolls and a variety of sushi offerings.

DOM Chair Jim Liao, MD, a professor in the Division of Cardiology and member of the Sarver Heart Center, adds a couple of tuna rolls to his Asian-themed lunch included as part of Banner Health’s celebration of National Doctors’ Day at its Tucson health care facilities.

Inpatient Medicine associate professor Rajesh Kotagiri, MD, who’s also associate program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program – Tucson, shares a lighter moment with the servers at the National Doctors’ Day luncheon hosted in the College of Medicine – Tucson for Banner – UMC Tucson physicians.

A top-down view of the spread being served during a National Doctors’ Day luncheon March 30 at the College of Medicine – Tucson Social Hall (Room 2500) and sponsored by Banner Health on behalf of all physicians. Lunch was also provided to physicians at BUMC South and BUM North.

Positioned near the dessert of cheesecake with berry topping and orange filo cake, Division of Inpatient Medicine hospitalists Nabin Khatiwada, MD, and Rajesh Kotagiri, MD, sit down to enjoy their lunch courtesy of Banner Health in recognition of National Doctors’ Day 2026.

Faculty and fellows from the Division of Cardiology enjoy a moment March 30 during the National Doctors’ Day Luncheon in the College of Medicine – Tucson Social Hall. Pictured (from left) are assistant professor J.R. “Keng” Pineda, MD, PhD; first-year cardiovascular disease fellow Ike Chinyere, MD, PhD; structural and interventional cardiologist Dexter DeLeon, MD; Muhammad Ijaz Pervez, MBBS, an interventional cardiology fellow; and Christy Lougheed, MD, a third-year cardiovascular disease fellow.

Division of Inpatient Medicine associate professor and an associate program director of the Internal Medicine Residency – Tucson Bujii Ainapurapu, MD, with fellow hospitalists Yeong-Hau “Howard” Lien, MD, Darima Nemanova, MD, Garima Gandotra, MBBS, and Achol Cyer, MD, at the National Doctors’ Day luncheon in the College of Medicine – Tucson Social Hall.