Over the two-year Infectious Diseases training program, fellows rotate between inpatient service and outpatient electives every two-weeks.

Four-Week Block Structure

Inpatient Experience

Inpatient services are conducted at the Ochsner Medical Center Main Campus with University of Queensland Medical Students, Internal Medicine Residents, Infectious Diseases pharmacists, and a PGY-2 Infectious Diseases Pharmacy Resident.

Fellows rotate through three inpatient teaching services:

1. General Infectious Diseases Pankey Service
   The Pankey Service offers fellows a diverse experience that involves consultations from multiple disciplines. Virtually all aspects of infectious diseases are encountered on this service including HIV/AIDS, travel-related infections, and post-surgical infections. 
2. Critical Care Infectious Diseases Service
   Fellows work closely with the Critical Care teams on the four Intensive Care Units: Cardiac ICU, Medical ICU, Neurosciences ICU, and Surgical ICU. Fellows learn the challenges of antimicrobial stewardship in the ICU setting.
3. Immunocompromised Host Service
   Fellows learn how to prevent and treat infections in immunocompromised hosts including solid organ transplant recipients, hematopoietic stem cell recipients, and patients receiving chemotherapy or biologic therapy.

Outpatient and Elective Experience

During the two-week outpatient block, fellows have two half-days of continuity clinic where they gain experience in the longitudinal management of a host of infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS and infections requiring outpatient antibiotic therapy.

The remainder of the outpatient block is spent on outpatient rotations tailored to the fellow’s long-term career goals. During the first year, fellows complete six required outpatient rotations to develop a strong foundation in the core concepts of Infectious Diseases.

Required Outpatient Rotations

1. Clinical Microbiology Rotation
   This four-week rotation serves as an introduction to routine as well as advanced molecular and immunologic methods currently employed in the diagnosis of bacterial, fungal, mycobacterial, viral and parasitic infections.
2. Antimicrobial Stewardship Rotation
   During this four-week rotation, the fellow will work with the Antimicrobial Stewardship Team to identify, prevent, and resolve drug-related problems in patients receiving antimicrobials. The fellow will conduct surveillance activities to promote the rational, safe, and cost-effective use of antimicrobials. The fellow will gain valuable experience in developing educational strategies, updating formulary and health-system policies, analyzing health information systems, and designing initiatives and programs to improve antimicrobial usage.
3. Travel and Tropical Medicine Clinic
   Fellows will learn how to provide pre-travel and vaccine counseling as well as evaluate patients presenting with symptoms post-travel.
4. Hepatology Clinic
   Fellows rotating through Hepatology clinic will gain expertise in the evaluation, management and treatment of patients with hepatitis C.
5. Mycobacterial Diseases Clinic
   This rotation provides fellows focused training on the management of diseases caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium and other Mycobacteria of clinical relevance.

Research

Fellows are encouraged to complete a research project on the topic of their choice. A stipend will be provided for fellows who present their research at national or international Infectious Diseases conferences.

Elective Rotations

Additional outpatient rotations to choose from based on fellow interest include:

• Infection Control and Prevention
• Wound Care Clinic
• Ochsner Long-Term Care Facility
• Dermatology Clinic
• Pediatric Infectious Diseases Clinic
• International rotations to India, Jamaica