The
history of Arizona's physicians is rich in mystery,
controversy, innovation and pride. Since the
settlers first inhabited the territory, physicians
have been a part of Arizona's legacy. They helped
shape the culture of this Great State and set
the standard for the quality of care delivered
to its citizens. The Physicians of Interest
page on this website highlights the historical
work of Arizona's physicians and the roles they
played while shaping the State's future. The
biography of a new physician will be added each
month and in time, the page will represent a
patchwork of the names and faces that brought
medicine in Arizona to life.
Dr. Victoria M. Stevens
Born in Globe, Arizona in 1951, Dr. Victoria Stevens is a rare native Arizonan. Raised on a ranch, her independent nature and love of community was nurtured by her devoted parents. Her mother was a nurse from Kentucky that came to Arizona, met a San Carlos Apache Indian and fell in love. Victoria says she �was not burdened by being stuck with the idea that she was an Indian or that she was a woman�.
After graduating from Globe High School in 1969, Victoria Stevens set off to the University of Arizona for her undergraduate work. She briefly left the state to attend Wellesley College in Massachusetts but returned to the University of Arizona to earn her Bachelor of Science degree, with distinction, in microbiology. In 1973 she enrolled in the University of Arizona College of Medicine as a Mead Johnson Scholar.
She finished her internship and general surgery residency at the Maricopa County General Hospital in Phoenix where she met her future husband and business partner Dr. Jody Daggett. After her general surgery residency, she worked as a medical officer for the San Carlos Indian Health Services and decided she would come back to serve them. She went to the Phoenix Orthopedic Residency Program and was board certified in orthopedic surgery in 1987.
She and Dr. Daggett have come back to serve the San Carlos and Globe Miami communities in private practice for over 20 years at the Eastern Arizona Orthopedic Clinic. They have two sons, ages 14 and 19. Dr. Stevens has hospital affiliations at San Carlos Indian Health Service Hospital, Gila County General Hospital and served on the board of directors and chief of staff at Cobre Valley Community Hospital.
Dr. Stevens has been nationally recognized for her accomplishments in science and medicine. She was featured in the National Library of Medicine � Changing the Face of Medicine October 2003 Exhibition and the 2002 National Institutes of Health video Women are Scientists.
She does not credit her success to the fact that she is a Native American or to the fact that she is a woman � she credits her parents for raising her to be independent and teaching her to go after her dreams.
Unfortunately, as with many good doctors, she will quit performing surgery at the end of the year due to rising malpractice insurance costs. She will continue her involvement with such professional organizations as the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. She plans on helping educate the public about their personal responsibility and primary role in healthcare. She feels the healthcare crisis is more than a tort reform issue but also a societal issue and would like to assist in making the necessary changes in attitude that plague the system today.
|