GME > Fellowships > Infectious Disease > Education and Conferences

Education and Conferences

Core Curriculum Lecture Series

These lectures are given during weekly academic half-day by the ID Fellow Clinic attending.

Goal: To discuss various topics relevant to the practice of General Infectious Diseases. Topics include:

  • Microbiology and laboratory testing
  • Basics of immunology
  • Antibiotics
  • Clinical syndromes recognition, diagnosis and treatment

Objective: To increase the Fellows' knowledge base in General Infectious Diseases.

Frequency: 1-hour weekly (or two hours every other week)

Format: Can either be a formal lecture, discussion on assigned readings, practice tests, or other teaching modalities deemed appropriate by the attending assigned.

Supervision: An attending is assigned to conduct each session

Evaluation: As part of the monthly written evaluation.

Case Conference

This is a bimonthly conference attended by all ID attendings, microbiology staff, members from the Vermont Department of Health and members from the Microbiology and Molecular Genetics staff. Presenters include the Fellows and ID attendings. There are several guest speakers each year.

Goal: To review the literature regarding specific infectious diseases, therapies, immunology and microbiology. Most often these will involve the diagnosis and management of infections seen in the inpatient consultation service or clinic.

Objective:

  • Learn critical review of the literature and how that applies to clinical practice
  • Review key topics of clinical infectious diseases and drug therapy
  • Improve oral presentation skills

Frequency: Twice per month

Format: Formal presentation of the case and literature review

Supervision: All attendings are present and critique the Fellow

Evaluation: As part of the monthly written evaluation

HIV/HCV Conference

Goal: To review timely topics concerning HIV and HCV in order to remain current with these rapidly changing fields. Presenters include the Fellows, ID attendings and nurse practitioner from the clinic.

Objective:

  • To remain current regarding protocols and guidelines
  • Update therapies
  • Review new insights into pathogenesis

Frequency: Once monthly

Format: Each one-hour session will have two presentors. Presentations can be article reviews, protocols or guideline updates or psychosocial topics. Difficult patient management issues can also be presented.

Supervision: All six attendings are present and critique the fellow

Evaluation: As part of the monthly written evaluation

Research Conference

Goal: To introduce the Fellow to ID unit research projects, other ID- related research in the College of Medicine and assess progress on Fellow's research project.

Objective:

  • To review ongoing research activities of the ID unit
  • Introduce the Fellow to research hypothesis, design, data collection and analysis
  • Critique new projects
  • Prepare for national meeting presentations
  • Review ID-related research from other units and departments

Frequency: Monthly

Format: Each one-hour conference will have a formal presentation of a research project of the Fellow or attending including design, data collection and outcomes. Guest lectures will present current research topics or summary lectures concerning research techniques.

Supervision: All six attending are present and critique the fellow's presentation

Evaluation: For the Fellow presenting his/her research, written evaluation is performed monthly by his/her research mentor.

Journal Club

Goal: To critically review current infectious diseases articles

Objective: To assess

  • research design
  • data analysis
  • correlation with previous literature
  • discussion and outcomes

Frequency: Once monthly

Format: Articles will be reviewed by the fellows and attendings

Supervision: All attendings attend the conference

Evaluation: As part of their monthly written evaluation

Case Discussion

Goal: To discuss cases seen by the fellows and attendings in their practices

Objective: To outline management issues on each of the cases and solicit approaches to the issues at hand from the attendees.

Frequency: Once a month

Format: Fellows and attendings informally present challenging cases from either the inpatient or outpatient setting. The cases in mind will have specific issues that will be presented and the attendees will offer their approaches to the issues at hand.

Supervision: All attendings attend the discussion

Evaluation: As part of their monthly written evaluation