Phoenix

Phoenix is the largest city in the state of Arizona and the second largest city in the West after Los Angeles, California. It is known as "The Valley of the Sun" because it is surrounded by mountains on all sides. Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the United States with a population of 1,512,986. Maricopa Emergency Medicine is the only emergency medicine residency.

Climate

We have very hot summers and pleasant falls, winters, and springs. The high temperature is over 100 degrees F on average 90 days of the year; however climate the remainder of the year is why Phoenix has become a destination for conferences and vacations. Temperatures during the winter rarely get below freezing with usual highs in the 70s. For this reason, Phoenix and the surrounding area is a great area for people who enjoy the outdoors.

Culture

Despite being a fairly new city, Phoenix has become a center for music, museums, and festivals. There are multiple great venues for shows that tour through Phoenix. The Dodge theater, US Airways, Center, Marquee Theatre, Orpheum Theatre, and the Mesa Amphitheatre are to name a few. One of the more well-known museums in the area is the Heard Museum near downtown. This features a large exhibits focusing on Native American art. The Arizona Science Center, Phoenix Museum of History, and the Phoenix Zoo are other popular locations. There are multiple festivals throughout the year in downtown Phoenix, Tempe, and Scottsdale. "First Friday" is a gathering in the art district of downtown that takes place the first Friday of every month. All the galleries are open for viewing during that time. Tempe Town Lake has concerts and festivals throughout the year that usually equate to a block party; these functions are primarily attending by ASU students.

Restaurants

There are many terrific restaurants in the Greater Phoenix Area. Pizzeria Bianco has been called by The New York Times as "The best pizza in the country." Other great spots are Delux, Le Grande Orange, Radio Milano, and many others.

Sports

Being the 5th largest city in the country, there are many professional sport teams located in Phoenix. The Arizona Cardinals (NFL), Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB), Phoenix Suns (NBA), Phoenix Coyotes (NHL), Phoenix Mercury (WNBA), Arizona Rattlers (Arena Football League), Phoenix RoadRunners (ECHL), and Arizona Sting (National Lacrosse League) are all located in Phoenix. The University of Phoenix Stadium just opened last season and is the newest stadium in the NFL. It was the home to last year's Superbowl and the annual Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. The Phoenix International Raceway is a venue for two NASCAR races per season. Phoenix also hosts the FBR open (PGA), LPGA's Safeway International, and The Tradition of the Champions Tour. During the spring, Phoenix is the host to multiple Spring Training venues, including the San Fransisco Giants, the Chicago Cubs, and the Oakland Athletics.

Recreation

Phoenix has many parks and recreation areas including South Mountain Park (the world's largest municipal park), Camelback Mountain, Squaw Peak, and Papago Park, which is home to the Phoenix Zoo and Papago Golf Course. There are many surrounding areas that are great for hiking and climbing, such as Superstition Mountain, Estrella, and Four Peaks.

Transportation

Sky Harbor International Airport is located in the metro area and less than 5 minutes away from Maricopa Medical Center (MMC). It services more than 100 cities and has several international carriers, including British Airways which has non-stop flights to London. The METRO Rail, a light rail project, is scheduled for completion at the end of 2008 which services a large area and is in close proximity to MMC. Most people chose to use the well connected interstate system.