University of Colorado School of Medicine

Training Program Director:  Donna Curtis, MD, MPH

Coordinator:  Jennnifer Saulino, BS, C-TAGME

Chief, Infectious Diseases:  Elizabeth J. McFarland, MD

Major Features of Training Program:  The goals of our fellowship program are to prepare fellows for a career in academic medicine, with strong emphasis on excellence in clinical care, teaching, and setting the foundation to become productive and independent researchers. The first year of the fellowship is devoted primarily to clinical training and identifying a primary research project and mentor. The second and third years have less time on the clinical service and are primarily devoted to research activities. We have over 20 infectious diseases faculty with a broad range of experience from basic science research to clinical research, expertise in HIV and other immunocompromised patients including transplant, global health, education and much more.

Title(s) of Recent Fellows’ Published Research Papers:
1. Searns JB, Gralla J, Parker SK, Dominguez SR. Potential Clinical Effects of a Novel Rapid Diagnostic Panel for Pediatric Musculoskeletal Infections. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2020 Jul 13;9(3):382-385. doi: 10.1093/jpids/piz040. PMID: 31194251; PMCID: PMC7358044.

2. DeVine MN, Maxwell S, Haynes AS, MacBrayne CE, Boguniewicz J. Management of an Immunocompromised Pediatric Patient With Multiple Hospitalizations for Symptomatic COVID-19. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2020 Nov 23. doi: 10.1097/MPH.0000000000002014. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33235142.

3. Flood SM, Osborne CM, Martin B, Derderian SC, Stenson E, Grubenhoff JA. Severe SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Pediatric Patient Requiring Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation. Case Rep Pediatr. 2020 Oct 9;2020:8885022. doi: 10.1155/2020/8885022.
PMID: 33062363; PMCID: PMC7547361.

4. Dodson DS, Dominguez SR, MacBrayne CE, Williams MC, Parker SK. Vancomycin-Nonsusceptible Enterococci Mediated by vanC at a Large Children’s Hospital: Prevalence, Susceptibility, and Impact on Care of Enterococcal Bacteremia. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2020 May 6;7(5):ofaa160. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofaa160. PMID: 32478121; PMCID: PMC7246344.

5. Graff K, Smith C, Silveira L, Jung S, Curran-Hays S, Jarjour J, Carpenter L, Pickard K, Mattiucci M, Fresia J, McFarland EJ, Dominguez SR, Abuogi L. Risk Factors for Severe COVID-19 in Children. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2021 Apr 1;40(4):e137-e145. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000003043. PMID: 33538539.

Grant Funding Received for Fellow Research Projects: The majority of fellows receive grant funding related to their chosen research project during their fellowship. We believe that writing a grant is an important skill to learn and practice as part of the research education and fellows have received a wide variety of grants from a variety of sources, including training grants, grants to fund research expenses, and smaller grants to fund other experiences. Fellows also participate in the writing and funding of larger grants submitted by their research mentors. We estimate that fellows have funded 50% of their research/salaries over the last 5 years.

Affiliated Hospitals: Childrens Hospital Colorado

Number of Inpatient/Outpatient Consults Per Year: 6,510

Fellows Accepted Each Year: 1

Visas Accepted: J1, H1B

Is Funding Ensured for all 3 Years?: Yes

Is Completion of Pediatric Residency Training in the U.S. or Canada a Requirement?: Yes

Program Provides Training, Didactic Lectures, Hands-On Experience, or Antimicrobial Stewardship Meetings/Membership in:
1. Microbiology lab on site
2. Infection control and hospital epidemiology
3. Antimicrobial stewardship
4. Immunocompromised hosts

Opportunities to Fulfill the ABP Requirements for Scholarly Activity is Available in the Following General Areas:
1. Antimicrobial agents
2. Antimicrobial stewardship
3. Bacteriology/bacterial infections
4. Bioethics
5. Clinical trials
6. Epidemiology and statistics
7. Global health
8. HIV
9. Immunizations
10. Infection control/hospital epidemiology
11. Medical Education
12. Mycology/fungal infections
13. Parasitology/parasitic diseases
14. Public health
15. Quality improvement
16. Virology/viral diseases
17. Transplant medicine

Opportunities exist for research outside of the ID Division?: Yes

Program offers the opportunity to obtain a Master’s degree in a field such as Public Health, Education, Clinical Sciences, or Epidemiology: Yes