Infectious Diseases Fellowship - FAQs
To set up a visiting rotation with the UMMC Infectious Diseases Program, email David Riedel at driedel@ihv.umaryland.edu.
How much 'in-house' call is there?
There is NO in-house call for our fellows in any of their years of training!
Very infrequently (once or twice per year in the entire program), a fellow may be called in from home to see an acutely ill patient (often a patient with malaria), but no one spends the night in the hospital.
Do fellows go to national or international conferences?
Yes! Fellows are encouraged to submit their work to conferences. Travel funding preference is given to those fellows with accepted cases, posters, or presentations.
How do your fellows perform on the Infectious Diseases Boards?
We have a 100% pass rate dating back more than a decade!
If I want to do clinical or basic science research, can I have more research time?
Yes! For fellows with an identified research project and mentor, the fellow and the program director can adjust the clinical schedule accordingly to allow the necessary amount of time free of clinical rotations. Longitudinal/continuity care clinic must be continued during this time, in accordance with ACGME guidelines.
Fellows who have been productive in such an experience and who require or wish additional time in clinical or basic science research have the option of extending their fellowship to accomplish their goals.
How much vacation time is there?
Fellows have 4 weeks of vacation annually.
What is the salary and benefits package?
The University of Maryland Medical Center offers fellows a competitive salary and benefits package.
How are mentors chosen?
First year fellows are assigned a mentor whose interests most closely align. Once the fellow has arrived on campus and met more faculty, the fellows are encouraged to develop additional mentor-mentee relationships for life/career advice as well as for research.
Most fellow-faculty mentorships occur naturally through the course of the first year, as research questions arise on the consult services. Program leadership also meets with each fellow in the first year to help them identify possible research interests and suggest well-matched faculty mentors for the fellow to contact.
Following the choice of a mentor, a fellow will work with the mentor to develop a realistic project with achievable timelines.
Can I obtain an MPH degree during my fellowship?
The University of Maryland Department of Epidemiology offers a Master of Science in Clinical Research as well as a Master of Public Health degree.
Due to the course requirements of these degrees, fellows who choose to pursue one of these degrees should plan to do the degree coursework during a third year of fellowship. Funding is not guaranteed but in the past, most fellows have been able to secure funding through a combination of their research mentor and/or tuition remission.
Can fellows moonlight during the fellowship?
Fellows are permitted to moonlight after written approval is obtained by the program leadership. There are often moonlighting opportunities on the internal medicine non-teaching services.
Moonlighting should never interfere with the clinical duties and learning in the fellowship. Restrictions on duty hours and the amount of moonlighting allowed per rotation apply.
What does University of Maryland do to increase diversity or promote wellness on campus?
The University of Maryland has a Diversity Advisory Council (DAC) which provides recommendations to the President, promoting the University's commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity. From the DAC website, the "DAC will enhance the environment to ensure valuing diversity and cultural competency, creating a culture of inclusion, and achieving equity become guiding principles in every aspect of the University's activities."
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is committed and pledges to embrace cultural competence at all organizational levels and programs to improve outcomes for students, faculty, staff, and the community at large. There are numerous groups, initiatives, and resources active on campus.
UMMC GME Office orchestrates events through the House Staff Association with four big events throughout the year. The highlight of the year is the annual Valentine's Day Ball at the B&O Museum.
UMMC has also developed a special program called RISE - Resilience in Stressful Events - to help teams and individual residents cope with adverse patient events as the "second victim." The RISE program provides immediate peer-to-peer support in a confidential and non- judgmental manner.
Is Baltimore a safe place to live and work?
The portrayal of Baltimore by national news media in recent years has focused on gun violence, rioting, and poverty; while these problems exist (as they do in all cities), there are also wonderful things happening in Baltimore, and these concerns should not deter you.
Those of us who live and work here are proud of the progress that is being made and feel privileged to care for a population that faces daily hardships and lack of easy access to medical care. The University of Maryland has redoubled its efforts to engage with and improve our community.
Baltimore continues to be an appealing and accessible urban environment in which to live and work. It also remains a vibrant tourist destination, with abundant cultural, sports, recreational, and entertainment opportunities, great restaurants, multiple festivals, historical landmarks, and diverse neighborhoods.
We look forward to welcoming you to our city!