University of Missouri-Columbia Program

The Infectious Diseases Fellowship program at the University of Missouri School of Medicine-Columbia aims to cultivate outstanding clinicians equipped with substantial knowledge and skills in the field of infectious diseases. The program is founded on a successful history of graduating proficient specialists and complies with ACGME requirements for fellowship training.

The fellowship is structured into two distinct tracks: the traditional Infectious Diseases fellowship track and the Infectious Diseases/Critical Care track. The two-year traditional track promotes a comprehensive experience in infectious disease management, exposing fellows to a diverse range of cases encountered in various settings, including MU Health Care hospitals and the Harry S. Truman Veterans’ Hospital.

Training Sites and Clinical Experiences

MU Health Care comprises a robust system featuring six hospitals and over 50 clinics offering both primary and specialty services. It has been recognized multiple times as a leading workplace in healthcare by Becker’s Hospital Review. The Truman VA Hospital, known for its commitment to employee satisfaction, emphasizes optimal working environments and has received accolades as the “Best Place to Work” in the Veterans Health Administration.

Core clinical programs available to fellows include:

• Orthopedic Infectious Diseases: Surveillance and consultative services for complex bone and joint infections at the Missouri Orthopedic Institute, the largest free-standing orthopedic facility in central Missouri.
• Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT): Fellows receive extensive exposure to the management of patients requiring OPAT through dedicated coordinators.
• HIV/AIDS Program: Comprehensive care services are provided, including a dedicated weekly HIV clinic supervised by leading specialists in the field.
• Infectious Diseases Clinic: Fellows will develop skills in managing various infectious diseases with practical exposure in a real-world outpatient clinic.

Curriculum and Rotation Structure

The two-year program is divided into 26 four-week blocks, alongside four weeks of vacation in each year. Initial training includes orientation and microbiology, with rotations through both inpatient and outpatient services. Rounds are structured to support clinical discussions emphasizing critical thinking, the synthesis of clinical data, and infection control principles.

Fellows engage in a research/elective rotation, where they are encouraged to undertake quality improvement projects, presentations, and potential publishing of their research efforts in peer-reviewed journals.

Conferences and Educational Activities

To facilitate continuous learning, the program hosts numerous conferences aimed at advancing fellows' knowledge base:

• Core Curriculum Conference: Weekly sessions on fundamental topics related to infectious diseases.
• ID Case Conference: A platform for presenting and discussing challenging clinical cases.
• Journal Club: A review of significant clinical and scientific literature encouraging critical analysis and discussion.
• ID/Critical Care Conference: In collaboration with pulmonary and critical care sections, this conference fosters multidisciplinary approaches to patient care.
• Infectious Diseases Grand Rounds: Hosting national experts quarterly to present updates on specialized topics in the field.

Visa Support and Application Competitiveness

The Infectious Diseases Fellowship program is internationally friendly and supports visa sponsorship for qualified applicants through J-1 or H-1B visa categories, making it accessible to international medical graduates. The program encourages applications from diverse backgrounds, fostering a community of learning and empathy.

The competitiveness of the program remains high, attracting numerous applicants annually. Candidates are typically required to have completed their internal medicine residency by the fellowship start date. Specific application prerequisites include adherence to the guidelines set forth by the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS) and the NRMP Medical Specialties Match.

Special Application Requirements

Applicants need to note any special requirements for application through ERAS, particularly in regard to the year of graduation from medical school and the acceptable limits of failed STEP exams, as the program places a premium on academic readiness and past performance.