Member Spotlight: Liz Ristagno

Liz Ristagno, MD, FPIDS, is Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and is also the Program Director for the pediatric infectious diseases fellowship program. Dr. Ristagno earned her medical degree and masters degree in clinical investigation sciences from the University of Louisville. Both her residency and pediatric infectious diseases fellowship were completed there as well.

Dr. Ristagno is the current chair of the Education Committee. She also serves on the Training Programs Subcommittee.

Why Pediatric ID? I’ve always known I wanted to pursue infectious diseases. I was heavily influenced by my mother, who was an adult ID physician, and I developed an early interest in epidemiology and tropical diseases (the story of the Broad Street Pump was fascinating to me!). I’ve also always loved the problem-solving aspect of infectious diseases, piecing together the clues, thinking through the possibilities, and ultimately figuring out what’s going on. It often feels a little like detective work, and that’s something I really enjoy. 

During my clinical clerkships, I fell in love with pediatrics. I was incredibly fortunate to have mentors like Drs. Gary Marshall and Kris Bryant. I admired the way they approached both their patients and their work, and I remember thinking, “That’s what I want to do, I want to be like them.” That’s what brought together my love of pediatrics and infectious diseases and set me on the path to pediatric ID.

Where have you taken your ID focus? I recently championed an effort with Epic to establish a pediatric infectious diseases subspecialty steering board, with the goal of identifying and addressing areas where the electronic medical record can better support our unique needs. Thoughtful changes within Epic can improve patient safety and care, while also making workflows more efficient and intuitive for physicians and pharmacists. I’m particularly excited about the opportunity to bring pediatric ID experts together to help shape tools that better support clinical decision-making and ultimately improve the care we provide to our patients.

What do you enjoy most about being a PIDS member? What keeps you renewing your membership? One of the things I value most about being a PIDS member is the incredible community of colleagues and friends. It’s such a thoughtful, talented, and intellectually curious group of people, and I’m continually inspired by how much we learn from one another. Over the years, so many of my colleagues have also become friends, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of a community of people who are not only brilliant and passionate about what they do, but also genuinely supportive of one another. There’s a real sense of collegiality and shared purpose that makes PIDS a very special community to be part of.