Fellowship Program - Basic Curriculum

The fellowship occurs over a 2-year period that is equally divided between clinical and research programs with optional third and fourth years. Of the 2 years training, one year is for clinical training in the management of Infectious Diseases and the second year is dedicated to clinical/basic science research.  The clinical component includes training in the diagnosis and management of infections among hospitalized patients and in the ambulatory clinics.  Professionalism is taught at the bedside and through role models.  In addition to learning management skills and effective communication, the trainees are involved in teaching the house staff and medical students. 

The fellows lead the Infectious Diseases consultation team, and supervise, teach and run day-to-day functions of the team in close coordination with the designated faculty member.  Throughout the clinical year, the fellows will participate in the management of patients admitted to various services (i.e. General Medicine, General Surgery, OB-GYN, Pediatrics, Cancer, Transplantation, Intensive Care Units).  The fellows are guided to improve their learning through extensive clinical experience.  During the 2 years, the fellows attend the ambulatory clinic every week.  The clinic is mostly dedicated for the care of HIV infected patients and is supervised by a designated faculty member with expertise in the management of HIV infection.  The fellows also gain experience in the outpatient management of hepatitis C and complicated bone and joint infections.

Research Training

The research training involves participation in a clinical or basic science project under the supervision of a faculty member.  The fellow, with the advice of the program director chooses an area of research and the appropriate faculty as mentor.  Mentors may be chose outside the division as well.  Some special areas of interest in the division are:

• HIV/AIDS
• General infectious diseases
• Antimicrobial Resistance
• MRSA
• Mycology
• Infective Endocarditis
• Urinary Tract infection
• Nosocomial infections
• Infections in compromised hosts (cancer/transplant populations)
• Molecular epidemiology

Core Conferences

The fellows participate in 3 meetings each week: 

• Grand Rounds (Case Discussion)
• Journal Club 
• Didactic lectures

Didactic lectures and tutorial sessions (case discussions) for the house staff are conducted by faculty/fellows three times a week.  Case discussions on infections in transplant patients are held quarterly. 

Monthly meetings include:

• Morbidity/mortality conferences
• Autopsy conferences

A month long training in clinical microbiology lab (bacteriology, mycology, mycobacteriology, virology, PCR diagnostics, parasitology) is provided.  A 3-week didactic session to cover areas including parasitology, molecular biology, epidemiology, infection control, clinical research and medical ethics is provided for the senior fellows.  Clinical training at the city's STD Clinic under the supervision of ID/STD expert is provided.

Evaluation

Specific goal directed, objective evaluation tools have been developed for each month.  Monthly computerized evaluation during clinical or research rotation is completed by the supervising faculty and made available to the fellow.  Likewise, the fellows evaluate their faculty each month.  The program director conducts regular monthly, semiannual and annual meetings to evaluate fellows' progress.  The fellows, in turn, are provided opportunity to evaluate the program on a regular basis.