The Division of Infectious Diseases offers several clinical rotation electives that are open to fourth-year medical students and residents at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

Visiting medical students and residents from other institutions are also welcome.

Clinical rotations

Residents and medical students will see consultations in infectious diseases throughout  Barnes-Jewish Hospital under the supervision of a faculty member who rounds with them every day. They work closely with the infectious disease attending and nurse practitioner, follow their own patients and play a significant role in their management. They are expected to read the literature about their patients and participate in clinical conferences. They attend teaching rounds and conferences and lectures on infectious diseases. They also learn appropriate use of antibiotics and antifungal agents.

Clinical rotations can be pursued in any of the following settings:

General infectious diseases consultation service

The purpose of the inpatient rotation is to study patients with infectious diseases, including inpatient care of HIV infected patients and general infectious disease consults. The elective is designed to teach residents and medical students the fundamentals of evaluating clinical problems in infection and formulating plans for workups and therapy.

A wide distribution of infectious diseases is covered including:

  • Community acquired acute and chronic infections
  • Opportunistic infections in HIV infected patients
  • Hospital acquired infections
  • Basic infection control practices

This is a 4-week rotation. Two-week rotations are allowed but must be done in conjunction with 2 weeks of transplant infectious disease or bone and joint infectious disease.

Transplant infectious diseases consultation service

The purpose of the transplant rotation is to study infectious diseases in patients who have had bone marrow or solid organ transplant patients, or who have a hematologic malignancy. The elective is designed to teach residents and medical students the fundamentals of evaluating clinical infections in these complex and interesting patients and formulating plans for workups and therapy.

A wide distribution of infectious diseases is covered including:

  • management of neutropenic fever,
  • invasive fungal infections in the transplant population,
  • acute and chronic infections,
  • infection prophylaxis, and
  • monitoring interactions between immunosuppressive agents and antibiotics

The general infectious disease rotation is a prerequisite for this rotation.

Bone and joint infections consultation service

The purpose of the bone and joint rotation is to study infectious diseases of the bones and joints, including infections in both native and prosthetic joints. The elective is designed to teach residents and medical students the fundamentals of evaluating clinical orthopedic infections and formulating plans for workups and therapy.

The role of surgical and medical management is discussed, and the students will interact with surgical staff in understanding the risks and outcomes of these common infections.

The general infectious disease rotation is a prerequisite for this rotation.

Ambulatory infectious diseases

Learn the fundamentals of evaluating clinical infections in an outpatient setting

Participants in this rotation will aid in the care of HIV infected or otherwise immunosuppressed patients, as well as general infectious disease and travel patients, at the division’s outpatient clinic.

Primary focus areas include:

  • HIV pathogenesis
  • Antiretroviral medications
  • Opportunistic infections and prophylaxis

Secondary focus areas include:

  • Bone and joint infections
  • Endovascular infections
  • Endemic and opportunistic mycoses
  • Sexually transmitted diseases
  • Travel medicine

Patients seen will have a wide range of acute and chronic infections with a heavy emphasis on HIV/AIDS. Patients may be indigent or insured and will be of both sexes and a wide range of ages.

Contact

For more information on clinical rotations, contact Fellowship Director, Ige George, MD, MS, at igeorge@wustl.edu.

Residents and students should report to the ID office, 15th floor of the Northwest Tower (NWT) at 8:00 am on the first day of their rotation. You may call Stephanie McManus for general questions at 314-454-8293 or email smcmanus@wustl.edu.