Member Spotlight: Andi L. Shane

Andi L. Shane, MD, MPH, MSc, is Professor of Pediatrics and Chief of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Division at Emory University School of Medicine and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. She earned her medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine, her master of public health degree from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, and her master of science from the Laney School of Emory University. Dr. Shane completed her residency and chief residency in pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, was an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, followed by a fellowship in pediatric infectious diseases at University of California at San Francisco.

Dr. Shane serves as the Deputy Editor of the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, which she has held for 4 years.

Why pediatric ID? There were two reasons that pediatric ID was a natural fit for me: One, I grew up in apartheid South Africa where I was acutely aware, even as a young child, of the pervasive societal inequity and lack of access to healthcare. Two, as the daughter of a veterinarian father and toxicologist mother, I thought that I would pursue training as a veterinarian, until I acquired giardiasis, in a veterinary clinic where I volunteered. It was after that experience that I decided veterinary medicine was not for me, but infectious diseases was!

Pediatric medicine has many similarities to veterinary medicine; caring for children of different ages is similar to the variety of caring for different animal species. As a pediatrician, one is often interacting with family members, in addition to the patient, which has similarities to interacting with animal caregivers as well as the pet. I also was inspired by the all-encompassing nature of infectious diseases and the consideration for not only the host but also for the environment in which they exist. This comprehensive approach to care was invigorating to me. 

Where have you taken your ID focus? I have derived tremendous satisfaction from being involved in JPIDS. From my initial role as the JPIDS Cover Art Editor, to Associate Editor to Deputy Editor, I have enjoyed the opportunities to be engaged in the dissemination of art and science from those who share my passion for Peds ID. Through these roles, I have been fortunate to learn from our Associate Editor colleagues and authors, as well as gain an understanding about scientific publishing. 

What is a recent development in pediatric ID that you are working on? As SARS-CoV-2 infections began to surge, a group of PIDS members convened to rapidly review the evidence that existed in early 2020 to understand the role that children play in the clinical burden and propagation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, which we learned was responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections. We described the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnostics, management, and prevention opportunities, including the social and behavioral impacts on child health, in a manuscript that was accepted by JPIDS in May of 2020 and published in August of 2020. Viewed over 10,000 times to date, we leveraged our collaboration as PIDS members as an opportunity to encourage pediatric infectious diseases clinicians to advocate for the inclusion of children in epidemiological, clinical, treatment, and prevention studies. As PIDS members, we wanted to ensure that children were included in the development of guidance and policy during the pandemic response. This is just one example of how PIDS and JPIDS can be a voice for children. 

What do you enjoy most about being a PIDS member? What keeps you renewing your membership? I joined PIDS as a fellow 23 years ago and renew my membership annually because in PIDS, I have found “my people.” I am fortunate to be a member of several different societies and while each provides a different perspective, I am most grateful for my PIDS colleagues who have each made a difference, in both my professional and personal growth and development, in treasured ways.