Hooked on ID with Monica V. Mahoney, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, FCCP, FIDSA, FIDP
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
My journey in infectious diseases started out with an intense hatred and utter confusion.
I may have failed my microbiology lab if it wasn’t for my lab partner staining my slides for me. University classes were filled with last-minute memorization for exams and immediate amnesia upon leaving the test room. It wasn’t until my infectious diseases rotation in residency that things started to click.
My preceptor was Dr. Kenneth Lawrence. It was clear that he was very smart and greatly respected by his colleagues. Simply by standing next to him, they erroneously extended their respect to me, on Day 2 of my ID rotation. But over time, he was able to teach me and impart some of his wisdom. By discussing the individual patients on our lists, by reviewing their particular microbiology and selecting a specific antimicrobial regimen, I started to understand infectious diseases. More so, I realized that most everyone did not understand the nuances of this specialty. Therefore, I knew if I was able to master this one small area of medicine that many others did not, I would be able to positively impact my patients and my team. I applied to PGY2 programs in ID and have not looked back. More importantly, I have no regrets.
— Monica V. Mahoney, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, FCCP, FIDSA, FIDP
Clinical pharmacy specialist, infectious diseases
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston