Rheumatologists are doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and management of persons with disorders of autoimmunity, wherein the body’s defenses are turned against one’s own organs and tissues. Rheumatologists also help to clarify the origins of disorders with symptoms that mimic autoimmune disease. A rheumatologist’s training consists of medical school followed by internship and residency in internal medicine, and finally a minimum of two additional years of formal training (fellowship) in autoimmune and musculoskeletal disorders. All of our doctors are board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology.

Take the opportunity to know about your doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant before your appointment.
Each provider divides his or her working time between two of our four offices. This scheduling design allows for regular interaction of our medical staff for professional cross-consultation. Further, our bi-monthly meetings of all physicians allows for opinion exchange on difficult cases. This professional interaction brings added value to our patient care.

Ralph Bennett, M.D.

Dr. Bennett is a rheumatologist who has practiced in Arizona since 1983. He helped found Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology and has been instrumental in its growth. He earned his medical degree from Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York City in 1978. He went on to specialize in internal medicine at the Cleveland Clinic for the following three years. His interests, particularly in the field of autoimmunity, led him to specialize in rheumatology at the Cleveland Clinic, where he finished his fellowship in 1983. Dr. Bennett has spoken extensively to the public about all aspects of arthritis, and numerous times at professional meetings. He has been active in well over a hundred clinical trials since the early 80’s,with an early focus on anti-inflammatory medications and the stomach, and a more recent focus on new treatments in rheumatoid arthritis. He has helped author textbook chapters, and many scientific articles. He is a fellow of both the American College of Physicians and the American College of Rheumatology. He has been active in the past on hospital committees and local medical foundations. Dr. Bennett grew up in Connecticut prior to his medical education. He is married with three children. He is an active supporter of the local arts.

Paul H. Caldron, D.O.

Dr. Caldron received a BS degree in Zoology from the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma and later a doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from Oklahoma State University. He completed a flexible internship with the US Public Health Service at the US PHS Hospital on Staten Island, NY, followed by internal medicine residency and rheumatology fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio. Dr. Caldron began practice in 1984 as Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University Medical School at the Evanston Hospital with a private office in Winnetka, Ill. In 1987, he moved to Arizona and in 1994 was a cofounder of AARA. Dr. Caldron is certified in clinical densitometry. He is a fellow of both the American College of Physicians and the American College of Rheumatology. Dr. Caldron holds a clinical teaching assistant professorship at Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine. While assuming administrative duties for the organization in 2002, Dr. Caldron completed an MBA in Arizona at Thunderbird, Garvin School for International Management. He is author of various articles and chapters in rheumatology literature. He has participated with various organizations providing charitable health care in Latin America, and collaborates in an organization to promote the performance of clinical drug trials in Russia and the former Soviet States. Dr. Caldron is conversational in the Spanish language.

Sheetal Chhaya D.O.

In 2005, Dr. Chhaya completed her Fellowship in Rheumatology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio. She then moved to Boston, MA to join the Department of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School and the VA Boston Healthcare System. During her time in Boston, she focused on the education of residents and fellows, sitting on numerous panels for case discussions and giving Medical Grand Rounds and Multidisciplinary Teaching Conferences. Her main interest has been in vasculitis and she had been involved in several projects involving Wegener’s Granulomatosis while in Fellowship. Dr. Chhaya is a member of the American College of Rheumatology and is a certified member of the International Society of Clinical Densitometry. She is also board certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

Dr. Kaleo Ede received his BA degree in Biology from Occidental College.  He received an MD degree from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine in Honolulu, Hawaii.  He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at Good Samaritan Hospital and Phoenix Children’s Hospital in Arizona, followed by subspecialty training in pediatric rheumatology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Ede was involved with basic science research into the cause of an autoimmune disorder known as the antiphospholipid syndrome during his fellowship at UCLA. Dr. Ede’s clinical interests include transition care for adolescents with rheumatic diseases. Dr. Ede will become Arizona’s second board certified pediatric rheumatologist. He is also board certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and is a member of the American College of Rheumatology. Dr. Ede is also a faculty member in the division of pediatric rheumatology at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. As a staff member of AARA, Dr. Ede sees only children up to age 18 with arthritis and rheumatic disorders and serves as consultant to the rest of our staff on pediatric issues. Dr Ede is married and has two children.

Ramina Jajoo, M.D.

Dr. Jajoo received her Bachelor of Medical Sciences, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery with honors at the University of New South Wales, Australia in 1994. After two years of residency, she moved to the U.S.A. and completed her Internal Medicine residency at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Connecticut. She then completed her subspecialty fellowship in Rheumatology at Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston in 2004. During her three-year fellowship, Dr. Jajoo studied the effects of diet on osteoporosis in men and women aged 65 years and older using grants from National Institute of Health and National Osteoporosis Foundation. She then moved to Phoenix and joined AARA in August 2004. She is also a member of American College of Physicians and American College of Rheumatology.

Eric Peters, M.D.

Eric A. Peters, MD FACR received a B.S. in cell biology at the University of Kansas and completed his Medical Degree at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He completed his internal medicine training at St. Joseph Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona and followed with a subspecialty fellowship in Rheumatology at the University of California Los Angeles – Harbor Medical Center. Dr. Peters was in practice in Kansas City for four years before moving to Phoenix to take his present position with Arizona Arthritis & Rheumatology Associates. He has been with AARA since 1997. Dr. Peters is currently President of AARA. He is actively involved in Arizona Arthritis Research, the clinical research arm of AARA. He has been involved in over one hundred clinical trials in rheumatology as either principal or sub-investigator. He is Adjunct Assistant professor of Medicine at Midwestern University College of the Health Sciences in Phoenix. He is a Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and a Member of the American College of Physicians, and the International Society of Clinical Densitometry. He has served as a national and regional speaker and consultant for many commercial, educational and humanitarian groups. He is a published author of journal articles and book chapters. Dr. Peters is married with two children. He coaches basketball and baseball in his spare time. He has been involved in charitable work for the Arthritis Foundation and has run free medical clinics in inner-city Kansas City, Mexico, and Guatemala.

Michael Shishov, M.D., M.P.H.

Dr. Michael Shishov received a BA degree with high honors from Brandeis University and later an MD degree from the Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel. He completed his internship and residency in pediatrics at New York University Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital in New York, followed by subspecialty training in pediatric rheumatology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio. During the summers of his three-year fellowship, Dr. Shishov completed a Masters in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, with a concentration in Clinical Effectiveness. Dr. Shishov’s clinical interests include the epidemiology of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis and mixed connective tissue disease, vasculopathy in juvenile dermatomyositis, and adherence with medications in systemic lupus erythematosus. Dr. Shishov is Arizona’s only board certified pediatric rheumatologist. He is also board certified in Pediatrics and is a member of the American College of Rheumatology. Dr. Shishov is the Division Chief of pediatric rheumatology at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. As a staff member of AARA, Dr. Shishov sees only children up to age 18 with arthritis and rheumatic disorders and serves as consultant to the rest of our staff on pediatric issues. Dr. Shishov is conversational in Spanish.

John I. Starr, M.D.

Dr. John Starr received his B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Maryland in 1972 and Graduated from the Howard University School of Medicine with Honors in 1976. He subsequently pursued an internal medicine residency in the Yale University system between 1976 and 1979, and completed a fellowship in rheumatology at the State University of New York, Buffalo in 1981. Dr. Starr initially practiced Rheumatology in Buffalo, N.Y. with the Buffalo Medical Group between 1981 and 2001. He served most of those years as Assistant Professor of Medicine, active in teaching house officers, students, and lecturing on Rheumatology to both professionals and the public. In 2001, he moved to the “Valley of the Sun” with his wife and his three daughters. Since that time, he has been associated with AARA. While living in Buffalo, he hosted a live weekly call-in television program entitled “Straight Talk About Arthritis”. Dr. Starr has published on various topics in the field of rheumatology and is also a recognized expert in Tai Chi and its potential health benefits. He currently participates in a number of clinical trials in rheumatology. Dr. Starr is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology, and is a fellow of both the American College of Physicians and the American College of Rheumatology.

Benjamin M. Sucher, D.O.

Dr. Sucher received a BS degree in Zoology from the University of Michigan in 1973 and graduated from Michigan State University-College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1976.  He completed a general rotating internship at Phoenix General Hospital in 1977, and completed a residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) through Northwestern University at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in 1980.  Dr. Sucher is board certified in PM&R by the American Board of PM&R and the American Osteopathic Board of PM&R.  He was president of the American Osteopathic College of PM&R (AOCPMR) in 1994-5, and served on the certifying board of the American Osteopathic Board of PM&R for many years, finally serving as chair of that board in 2003-5.  He is also a fellow of the American Academy of PM&R and the AOCPMR.  Dr. Sucher served as medical director of several rehabilitation medicine and therapy departments in the Phoenix valley during the 1980s, and then focused his attention on neuromusculoskeletal disorders, authoring several articles and textbook chapters on carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and related conditions.  He served on the editorial board of the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA) and served as a manuscript reviewer for peer review journals.  He received a medical writing award for a 1994 JAOA article on diagnosis and management of CTS.  Dr. Sucher pioneered a novel treatment for CTS and trained clinicians from many states (and countries) in non-surgical diagnosis and management approaches.  He acquired 2 patents for devices to treat CTS, and served as a co-principal investigator in research at Arizona State University on non-surgical CTS treatment approaches.  He has lectured extensively and coordinated workshops at national and international meetings on electrodiagnosis (EMG) of CTS, diagnosis and treatment of CTS and other neuromuscular disorders.  Dr. Sucher finally directed his energies to EMG of nerve and muscle disease, has limited his medical practice to this area over the past several years, and is active in the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (www.aanem.org).  He joined AARA in 2003 to provide EMG services, gradually expanding to create EMG Labs of AARA in 2008 to allow testing at all office locations.

Areena Swarup, M.D.

Dr. Areena Swarup has been practicing Rheumatology in Arizona since 2002. Before joining practice in Arizona she completed a Rheumatology fellowship at University of Pennsylvania and University of Chicago Hospitals. Dr. Swarup earned her Medical degree at Lady Hardinge Medical School in New Delhi. She continued her medical training in St. Louis, Missouri where she completed an Internal Medicine residency at St. Louis University School of Medicine. Dr. Swarup later moved to Philadelphia and joined University of Pennsylvania where she completed a fellowship program in Geriatric Medicine and Rheumatology. She then moved with her husband to Chicago and completed her Rheumatology fellowship at University of Chicago Hospitals. During her fellowships, Dr. Swarup published research papers on scleroderma and inflammatory muscle diseases and received an award for the best clinical fellow. Dr. Swarup is board certified in Geriatric Medicine, Rheumatology and clinical bone densitometry. She has written and published several articles relating to geriatrics and rheumatology. She is a member of American College of Physicians and American College of Rheumatology. Her husband, Vijay Swarup, MD, is a cardiologist in the Valley where they are raising twin children.

John R. P. Tesser, M.D.

John R. P. Tesser, MD, FACP, FACR is a graduate of Yale University, and the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, New York. He completed his internal medicine training at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, and a fellowship in rheumatology at Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Dr. Tesser served as Chief of Rheumatology at Maricopa Medical Center and as Acting Chairman and Associate Chairman of the Department of Medicine. He is a Clinical Lecturer at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine at Midwestern University College of Health Sciences in Phoenix. He is a fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research, and International Society of Clinical Densitometry. Dr. Tesser is actively involved in performing multiple clinical research studies including all forms of rheumatic diseases with emphasis on rheumatoid and osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. He has been principal investigator on over 200 clinical research trials. He actively serves as a speaker and consultant for many groups, and he has published over 30 articles and abstracts in peer-reviewed medical journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine and Arthritis & Rheumatism.