THMEP Program Directors
Learn more about each of our program directors below
Robert Aaronson, M.D., MACP, FCCP, FAASM
Executive Director/DIO
Dr. Robert Aaronson is Director of Medical Education for TMC Health. He is a pulmonary, sleep, critical care and neurocritical care physician, and practices with TMCOne. He received a Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude in English literature from Columbia University and obtained his medical degree from New York University. He completed internal medicine residency at University of California-San Francisco and his pulmonary and critical care fellowship at Boston University. He is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona and Midwestern University, and an adjunct clinical professor at A.T. Still University.
Sujata Sarkar, M.D., FACR
Internal Medicine Residency Director
Dr. Sujata Sarkar is a board-certified rheumatologist. She completed her residency at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and a rheumatology fellowship at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Prior to joining Tucson Medical Center she was on faculty and served as principal investigator in NIH-sponsored research at the University of Arizona, Division of Rheumatology. In addition to patient care, she enjoys teaching, spending time with her family, traveling and tending to her vegetable garden.
David Teeple, M.D.
Neurology Residency Program Director
Dr. David Teeple is a Tucson native earning his undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona in biochemistry. He attended medical school at Columbia University College of Physician and Surgeons and subsequently completed his neurology residency and a fellowship in epilepsy at the Barrow Neurological Institute. Dr. Teeple is on faculty at the University of Arizona Department of Neurology and has been the director of the THMEP Transitional Year Program since 2013.
Patricia Eck, D.O.
Pediatric Residency Program Director
Dr. Patricia J. Eck is a Tucson native and an Arizona State University graduate who received her medical degree from Midwestern University and completed a pediatric residency at the University of Arizona. She has worked for El Rio Community Health Center as well as TMC for Children’s Pediatric Emergency Department.
Erick Perez-Sifontes, M.D.
Transitional Year Residency Program Director
Originally from Venezuela, he moved to the United States in 2014, bringing with him a deep passion for medical education and the management of critically ill patients. He is dedicated to fostering efficiency and innovation in the medical field, with a particular focus on optimizing the learning experience during residency. Dr. Perez Sifontes enjoys mentorship and giving residents the tools needed to succeed in their careers.
Samantha Low, PharmD, BCPS
Pharmacy Residency Program Director
Samantha Low is a clinical coordinator and residency program director at Tucson Medical Center. She graduated from Midwestern University – College of Pharmacy, Glendale, in 2006. She completed her PGY1 at Tucson Medical Center. Sam has varied clinical pharmacy experience, including adult surgery, critical care, nutrition support and most recently, informatics.
Thomas E. Waggoner, D.O.
Structural Heart Fellowship Program Director
Thomas Waggoner, D.O., FACC, FSCAI, FSVM, RPVI is a structural interventional cardiologist, medical director of the structural heart disease program, program director for the structural heart disease fellowship and medical director of the cardiovascular research program at TMC and fellowship. He is the principal investigator in multiple ongoing structural heart clinical research studies as well as a national physician proctor for many of the latest complex trans-catheter cardiac devices. He has performed many first-in-patient cardiac device implants in Southern Arizona and is a leading structural interventional cardiologist in the region.
