Hooked on ID with Andrea Hahn, MD, MS
During my NICU rotation in my second year of pediatric residency, I decided to apply for a pediatric infectious disease fellowship. Several of my fellow residents and I were discussing future career paths; I was debating the pros and cons of several different specialties. I must have been very passionate as I discussed the pros of a career in ID because the group all concluded for me that I needed to apply for the ID fellowship.
My passion for ID has only intensified as I have grown into my career as a physician/scientist investigating antibiotic pharmacokinetics, antibiotic resistance and the airway microbiome in children who have cystic fibrosis. Clinically, I continue to love the diversity of patients I have the opportunity to care for and the diverse medical conditions I can treat. Thankfully, most of the time, I can make recommendations that allow the patient to return to their normal state of health. I also really enjoy the continuity of care and the relationships we can build with children who have more chronic conditions and their families. As a scientist, I enjoy the complexities of ecology of the cystic fibrosis airway and the different tools available to help us understand how we can improve our patients’ health. I have also had wonderful mentors in ID along the way (Drs. Katalin Koranyi, Robert Frenck, Beverly Connelly, Roberta L. DeBiasi and John LiPuma, to name just a few) and hope I can share my knowledge and passion with the next generation as my mentors generously have done for me.
— Andrea Hahn, MD, MS
Infectious disease specialist
Investigator, Children’s Research Institute
Children’s National Hospital
Washington, D.C.