Clinical & Research Training

Our fellows act as infectious disease consultants at Michigan Medicine and the Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System (VAAAHS). There are currently five ID consult services at University Hospital including transplant ID and an MDRO service. At the VAAAHS, we have one general infectious disease consult service.

For most fellows, clinical consultation blocks are scheduled July - December during the first year and January - June during the second year of training. This allows a continuity of clinical experience useful for fellows interested in transitioning directly into a clinically focused position after graduation. However, we offer flexibility to meet an individual fellow’s needs. For example, a fellow interested in a career in laboratory medicine may want to complete additional clinical months during the first year to create longer continuous time devoted to developing a research program.

UH=University Hospital; AAVA=Ann Arbor VA; MDRO=multidrug resistant organism

During these six-month blocks, two weeks of vacation and at least three full weekends while on the General ID service at the University to reduce fatigue and burnout. This schedule provides a largely uninterrupted year (month 7 to month 18) to pursue a significant research project and elective opportunities; however, this can be modified for those who would like to do additional clinical months earlier in fellowship.

Consult patients seen at Michigan Medicine who require outpatient follow-up are scheduled in the fellow’s outpatient Taubman Center clinic. If the fellow’s clinic spots are filled, the attending on service will see the follow-up patients. We think it is critical that fellows are involved in the entire episode of care, and this opportunity is available for virtually any patient encountered in the Michigan Medicine inpatient setting. During their months off service, most fellows will also attend a half-day weekly clinic at the Ann Arbor VA. A weekly meeting precedes clinic and allows for high value multidisciplinary care. Dedicated faculty staff all fellow outpatient clinic visits.

Our Ryan White federally funded HIV/AIDS Treatment Program has been a part of the division since 1997. The program cares for over 900 people living with HIV. In a typical year, we see over 100 new patients and a portion of these patients are assigned to fellows. Furthermore, fellows care for patients living with HIV at the Ann Arbor VA.

For fellows who are interested in clinical research, there are several opportunities to work with mentors on a wide range of topics. Currently, faculty members are involved in clinical research in antimicrobial resistance, Clostridium difficile, hospital-acquired infections, infection prevention, antimicrobial stewardship, HIV, influenza, fungal infections and infection in transplant recipients. There are also several options for education and training.

• Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis Program - A Master's Degree program offered by the Department of Biostatistics in the School of Public Health (SPH). This On-Job/On-Campus Master's in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis (CRDSA) Program was developed in a non-residential format to provide a means for working professionals who are interested in clinical research to develop expertise in research design and statistical analysis while continuing their professional employment.
• Summer Session in Epidemiology - The majority of fellows participate in this program, which is offered through the School of Public Health. 
• National Clinician Scholars Program at IHPI - The Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (IHPI) National Clinician Scholars Program provides unparalleled training for clinicians as change agents driving policy-relevant research and partnerships to improve health and health care.
• Master’s Scholars in Health and Health Care Research Program - A program offered by IHPI that trains students to be leaders and researchers in health services delivery and quality improvement.

The University of Michigan is among the nation’s leading research institutions and has a long history of foundational research in infectious diseases and a track record of mentoring fellows and other trainees toward successful research careers. Current faculty members in the Division of Infectious Diseases provide a wide range of research and training opportunities, including robustly funded basic and translational research programs in HIV, viral pathogenesis and evolution, hospital acquired infections, antimicrobial resistance and the human microbiome.

Programs and Seminars

• The Postdoctoral Research Training Program offers fellows a rigorous introduction to new and emerging concepts in cell and molecular biology. Trainees will be exposed to important new areas of investigation and given the opportunity to utilize complex techniques and cutting-edge analytical methods.
• The Science in the Clinics is a seminar course in which trainees explore infectious diseases from a translational perspective, learning to connect the basic research and training they are receiving with clinical and therapeutic features of infectious diseases medicine.

Several educational and training opportunities are available for both basic science and clinical research trainees. The Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR) offers a K-Writing Workshop that helps participants get peer critique and feedback from senior faculty who are experienced in NIH study section thinking. The Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies has a number of career development resources available to fellows. The Responsible Conduct of Research and Scholarship (RCRS) Training is designed to meet federal and institutional requirements for the conduct of research and is required for all research fellows.