Randy Horwitz, MD, PhD, was named the Integrative Medicine Physician of the Year for 2021 by the American Association of Physician Specialists (AAPS), American Board of Physician Specialists (ABPS) and American Board of Integrative Medicine (ABOIM). Dr. Horwitz helped found ABOIM in 2014 and served as its inaugural chair in 2015-16.![[Randy Horwitz, MD, PhD, medical director for the UArizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/randy_horwitz-inline.jpg "Randy Horwitz, MD, PhD, medical director for the UArizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine")
A Fellow of the American College of Physicians, Dr. Horwitz is the medical director of the University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine and a professor in the Department of Medicine at the College of Medicine – Tucson. He’s board certified in internal medicine, allergy and clinical immunology, and integrative medicine.
“I was surprised, honored, and humbled to learn of this wonderful honor that the American Board of Integrative Medicine bestowed upon me. Integrative medicine has allowed me to connect with patients at a deeper level, and it has reinforced the reasons I left research to pursue a career in clinical medicine,” Dr. Horwitz said.
The ABPS, the official certifying body of the AAPS, is the country's third-largest recognized physician multi-specialty certifying body, providing physician board certification and recertification for thousands of physicians in 20 medical specialties or academies. It has 12 member boards, including ABOIM. The Physician of the Year Award is presented by each AAPS academy or board to a member who has contributed to the growth, recognition and leadership of the academy or board.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Horwitz recorded two videos on behalf of the Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. The first video, posted in March 2020, focused on explaining COVID-19. The second, released as part of series by the center in November 2020, explained mRNA vaccines, their rollout timeline and why they were important to health and wellness.
![[Physician of the Year Award from the American Board of Integrative Medicine.]](https://deptmedicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/award3-inline.jpg "Physician of the Year Award from the American Board of Integrative Medicine.")
“The pandemic has posed innumerable challenges for society as a whole, as well as for individuals,” Dr. Horwitz said. “It has taught us that, while waiting for definitive and proven therapies, it is important to be cautious, empathetic and to think outside of the box. Integrative medicine has afforded me the ability and the time to hone these skills.”
Prior to medical school, Dr. Horwitz earned his PhD in immunology and molecular biology from the University of Florida. He earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health on rheumatologic disorders as well as two clinical fellowships: one in allergy and immunology at the University of Wisconsin and the other in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona.
Dr. Horwitz joined the College of Medicine – Tucson faculty in 2004. He has won several teaching awards from the college, been voted among “Top Doctors” and “Best Doctors” in America multiple times, and been featured in local magazines on Chronic Inflammation and Managing Allergies. He also has been a presenter many times for the UArizona Arthritis Center on diet and other alternative remedies for rheumatologic inflammation, most recently in April.