‘Part of something bigger than myself’: Clinicians explain why they chose ID
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When we started our “Hooked on ID” series 6 years ago, the pitch was simple: “The field of ID has never been more important. Tell us why you chose it.”
Six years later, that’s as true as ever, and we continue to be captivated by each new story we receive.
Below are the 12 submissions we published in 2024. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did. To read stories going back to 2018, visit Healio’s “Hooked on ID” page.
You can tell us your story by emailing infectiousdisease@healio.com with the subject line “Hooked on ID.” We look forward to hearing from you.
Ian Adrian F. Frani, MD, BSN
“Being a medical student in the early 2000s, I never would have imagined going into infectious diseases. It never really crossed my mind until I started residency and actually ‘did the work.’” Read more.
Paul Volberding, MD
“I was quite proud when I was elected as a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and I now can pass unrecognized at the big cancer meetings — and also by the many younger folks at IDWeek and other ID meetings! It’s a lesson for others to follow your passion, even if it means a somewhat less linear career path.” Read more.
Brad Perkins, MD, MBA
“When I was in high school, I was given the opportunity to take a part-time job that was a little out of the ordinary for my age: I worked for a clinical microbiologist selling sterile sheep blood to microbiology laboratories to make bacterial culture agar.” Read more.
Keith S. Kaye, MD, MPH
“Given my family history of MDs — my father, siblings and spouses of my siblings are all physicians — I actively tried to steer clear of medicine, but in the end, I just couldn’t help myself.” Read more.
Gonzalo Bearman, MD, MPH
We caught up with Bearman at the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Spring Conference after he delivered a closing plenary presentation on the potential for AI systems to help clinicians deliver better care to patients. Watch video.
Kelly Zabriskie, MLS, CIC, FAPIC
“I was the mom who would tell the pediatrician to prescribe antibiotics only if my child had a defined bacterial infection from a culture, knowing antibiotics did not work on viruses.” Read more.
Connie Steed, MSN, RN, CIC, FAPIC
We caught up with Steed at the annual meeting of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, where she was honored with the 2024 Carole DeMille Achievement Award for her more than 4 decades in infection prevention. Watch video.
Anurag N. Malani, MD
“ID is a dynamic field that is constantly changing. The types of infections we’re talking about today are different than what we may have been talking about 5 years ago. So, it’s intellectually stimulating and challenging.” Read more.
Paul Adjei, MD, MS, FACP
“Thanks to a career in ID, I am now part of something bigger than myself, and I look forward to the future with greater hope that I can leave the world a better place.” Read more.
Robert A. Bonomo, MD
“ID is always the first to take care of the disenfranchised populations, the poor and needy. We're always on the front lines during a pandemic. Our specialty pays it forward.” Read more.
Vani Vannappagari, MBBS, PhD, MPH
“As a physician trained in India, I saw the devastating impact of infectious diseases like TB, malaria and waterborne illnesses, and the profound difference public health interventions can have. That led to my career in global health.” Read more.
Thomas M. File Jr., MD, MSc, MACP, FIDSA, FCCP
“The concept of detective work and ability to cure patients make ID a very stimulating and satisfying specialty. It has always been very gratifying to be actively involved in the care of a person who is seriously ill with an infection and to provide input into the care of this person that results in cure.” Read more.
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