The holidays have arrived! As you traipse through Christmas markets on the hunt for a handmade present or scramble to your local grocer to pick up a last-minute token of appreciation for a neighbor, allow me to make a case for the greatest gift of all: our health. Cheesiness aside, the saying holds a weight of truth during this season of school-borne flus and cough-inducing inversion. So while this issue is appropriately packed with holiday cheer, we also thought it pertinent to shine a light on the healthcare heroes who work tirelessly to ensure we receive and maintain the gift of health.
To help prepare our list of Top Docs, we tapped Utah-based, state-licensed physicians across the state to nominate their peers and screened each nomination through Professional Research Services. The resulting directory includes 573 doctors across 67 specialties.
As we were making our list and checking it twice, we identified three individuals in the healthcare sector impacting the way Utahns receive care — both present and future. We asked them to share their thoughts on the technology, education, and research that will shape our state over the next decade, particularly regarding the opportunities and challenges presented by Utah’s rapid growth.
Our cover star, Dr. Kristina Callis Duffin, dean of the new Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, shares exciting educational opportunities for medical students at the University of Utah that will no doubt impact the next generation of doctor-patient relationships. Dr. Kelly Hewitt reflects on changes that robotic integration will have on cancer treatment after she performed the first robotic mastectomy in the Mountain West back in August. And BioUtah CEO Kelvyn Cullimore praises Utah’s many life sciences companies (Utah was recently ranked third in the nation for life sciences job growth) for developing breakthrough medical devices that will transform cardiology treatments, from valve replacements to rhythm management.
There’s much more to enjoy within these pages — gift ideas, restaurant guides, and holiday decor among them. We invite you to pause the stocking stuffing and tree trimming to flip through the pages, learn something new about the place you call home, and feel gratitude for life’s greatest gifts that transcend boxes and bows.
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