Hooked on ID with Carlos del Rio, MD
My path into infectious diseases began in 1983 during my intern year at Grady, when patients with a new infectious disease that we now know as HIV/AIDS began showing up.
However, it was really the following year, when I unexpectedly got to spend time at John Hopkins in the Osler Service and my attending was John Bartlett, that I fell in love with ID. John had the ability to make anything interesting; he was a master clinician and teacher who was insightful and approachable. At the end of that year, I applied to ID fellowships and matched at Emory, where I did my training. There, giants like Sam Thomson taught me about STDs, David Stephens taught me lab research and Jack Shulman taught me how to be a doctor when there was little we could do for patients with HIV except offer them care and compassion.
Have I ever thought this was a bad career choice? Never! Would I do it again? Absolutely! From AIDS to Zika, ID has been fascinating and has allowed me to enjoy the friendship of amazing colleagues locally and globally. These are my brethren and where I am most happy.
— Carlos del Rio, MD
Infectious Disease News Editorial Board Member
Distinguished professor of medicine
Executive associate dean
Emory University School of Medicine