Meet Dr. Jack Friedland

July 7, 2021
Portrait of Leah Sanford in glasses, smiling against a gray background with a purple frame and award badge.

Meet Jack Friedland, MD



The ArMA Member Spotlight this month is Dr. Jack Friedland. Dr. Friedland is a physician specializing in aesthetic plastic and reconstructive surgery. He attended Northwestern University Medical School, has visited several universities as a traveling professor, and has contributed to several textbooks. Read ArMA's interview with Dr. Friedland below to learn more about him!

What inspired you to become a doctor?


I wanted to be a doctor ever since I was a little boy. I was inspired by the stories of the first organ (kidney) transplant, the first cardiac transplant, and many of the other innovative medical advancements and successes in the last century. 


How did you come to practice medicine in Arizona?


After completing my undergraduate work at the University of Wisconsin and graduating from Northwestern University Medical School, I entered internship and general surgical residency. I then entered a plastic surgical residency at Bellevue and New York University in New York City. At the time, the U.S. was involved in Vietnam, so I served two years in the U.S. Air Force during which, I was stationed at Luke Air Force Base, and I was thus introduced to the Valley. I told my wife, whom I had met in Wisconsin and married during medical school, that I felt Phoenix would be a great place to live. The weather was always good, there was good education for our children, and the people in Arizona were “nice”. 


When did you become involved in organized medicine?


I obtained my Arizona license to practice medicine, opened my practice, and immediately joined ArMA and the Maricopa County Medical Society (MCMS). I appreciated the benefits both organizations provided, and I have continued those memberships to this day, even though I am now retired. 


Additionally, I always had an interest in correcting congenital deformities such as cleft lips and palates. I have volunteered at Children’s Rehabilitative Services and Phoenix Children’s Hospital, allowing patients who could not afford private care to obtain my services through state and federal agencies. I have been a member of, and active in, various medical and surgical organizations, both nationally and internationally, serving as President of both the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the Rhinoplasty Society, as a Director of The American Board of Plastic Surgery, and as a Governor of The American College of Surgeons.


Continued from ArMA's Monthly Member Spotlight newsletter...


To what extent have you been involved in medical education?


I have always participated in medical education, teaching students, residents, and colleagues as a Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona (UA) Medical School-Phoenix. I was also an Associate Professor at the Mayo Medical School and its residency programs in Rochester and Scottsdale.


What kind of opportunities has your profession as a physician made possible?  

  

My profession has given me the opportunity to operate and lecture all over the U.S., China, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, and multiple European countries. I have participated in many mercy missions to perform surgical procedures on unfortunate patients in third world countries, which gave me the opportunity to additionally “give back” with a great sense of personal satisfaction.


What would you like people to remember about you?


I would like to be remembered as a physician and surgeon who respected all individuals equally, and as someone who treated them as I, or one of my family, would wish to be treated. I am glad that I chose to be a doctor, who received the respect, kindness, trust, and gratitude of patients whose lives I improved by caring for them. Without hesitation, I would do it all again!

ADHS Issues Standing Orders for Flu, COVID-19 Vaccine Access

By Admin User • September 18, 2026
Statewide orders keep pharmacists and physicians authorized to vaccinate Arizonans amid uncertainty over the next ACIP meeting. Statewide Orders Cover the 2026-27 Flu & COVID Season The Arizona Department of Health Services has issued statewide standing orders supporting access to the 2026-27 influenza and COVID-19 vaccines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Arizonans seeking a flu or COVID-19 vaccine should contact their physician or pharmacy to confirm availability. Why the Orders Were Issued Arizona pharmacists may administer vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for international travel, or vaccines authorized under a prescription, including a physician-issued public health standing order. With the timing of the next ACIP meeting uncertain, ADHS worked with the Arizona Board of Pharmacy to issue statewide standing orders for the flu and COVID-19 vaccines, which function as a prescription allowing pharmacists and physicians across Arizona to administer them to anyone who wants one. ADHS Medical Advisor Weighs In "Vaccines are one of the most important tools we have to protect our communities. The Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines have been proven safe and effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Vaccines help us limit the spread of disease, reduce pressure on our healthcare system and reduce costs," said Dr. Richard Carmona, ADHS public health medical advisor and the 17th U.S. Surgeon General. "We have issued these standing orders to ensure safe and timely access to the vaccines in alignment with scientific and evidence-based guidance." What Arizonans Should Know The standing orders do not require every pharmacy to offer vaccinations, and they do not guarantee insurance coverage for administration. Coverage and out-of-pocket costs vary by plan, so Arizonans should check with their insurance provider before scheduling an appointment. 

Arizona Asks Supreme Court to Halt Prison Health Care Takeover

By Admin User • September 18, 2026
State attorneys seek an emergency stay after lower courts reject bids to delay receivership of the prison health care system. State Makes a Last-Ditch Appeal Attorneys for the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry asked the U.S. Supreme Court this week to delay a court-ordered receivership of the state's prison health care system. The request comes after both a federal district court and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to pause the takeover. In the recent application, former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, a representative of the department, argued that the state deserves more time to make its case before surrendering control of its operations, including oversight of its employees and health care budget. Roots of the Case The dispute began in 2012 when inmates sued the department, alleging the prison system's inadequate medical, mental health, and dental care amounted to cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. The case went through years of litigation and a failed settlement agreement. In 2023, U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver ruled that the health care system was "grossly inadequate." The court ordered the prison healthcare system to comply with more than 150 "quality indicators," but according to court-appointed monitors, the department failed to comply with 131 of the measures. In light of this finding, Silver named Annette Chambers-Smith, former director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, to take over as receiver effective Oct. 19. Arguments on Both Sides Clement argues receivership should be the last resort and that Silver moved to it too quickly. He asserts that the department has made measurable progress, including growing its health care staffing by more than 50%, expanding substance-use treatment access, and adopting a new care model. Corene Kendrick, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union National Prison Project, which represents the roughly 25,000 people incarcerated in Arizona prisons, called the department's request a "Hail Mary" and said Silver had given the department years of opportunities to comply before ordering receivership. What Happens Next The Supreme Court has not yet set a deadline for the plaintiffs to respond to the stay request. Separately, the 9th Circuit is now reviewing the merits of the receivership order itself. The department filed its opening brief on Sept. 15, and the plaintiffs' response is due Oct. 15. Information in this article was sourced from the Arizona Mirror .