Fellowship Curriculum

Education Program-Basic Curriculum

The Infectious Diseases Fellowship Training Program is a 2 year program.  It begins with one year of intensive clinical training provided at the four major university-affiliated hospitals:  University of Colorado Hospital, Denver Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center, Denver Health Hospital Authority, and National Jewish Health. Fellows rotate on inpatient consult services in General Infectious Diseases, Transplant Infectious Diseases, Orthopedic Infectious Diseases, and Heme-Onc ID.  They also have a weekly outpatient continuity clinic as well as outpatient rotations in Public Health including STIs and TB as well as mycobacterial diseases during their National Jewish Rotation.  During their first year, Fellows will create a career development plan and select a mentor for their second-year scholarly project. The mentor chosen may be any member of the Infectious Diseases Division, or an affiliate faculty member in a department of the University of Colorado School of Medicine. A scholarly project proposal will then be submitted to their research committee to gain feedback and ensure alignment with their career plans. 

Following the clinical year, fellows begin a training track most compatible with their interests.  Three training tracks available are:  Clinician, Clinical Investigator, or Research Scientist.  The Clinician Track (1 additional year), is designed to meet the educational needs of a subspecialist who will be primarily involved in patient care as a clinician educator.  In addition to a scholarly project, fellows can receive advanced training in HIV Medicine, Transplant Infectious Diseases, Antibiotic Stewardship, or Infection Control.  The Clinical Investigator Track (2-3 additional years) provides a research opportunity involving patients, and may involve a laboratory project, epidemiology, biostatistics, pharmacology training, etc.  The Research Scientist Track (3-4 additional years), consists of investigative work in the basic sciences.   Each track is designed to complete all ACGME requirements of the training program within the first two years.  

Fellows in the second year of fellowship continue their one-half day continuity clinic and will complete the remaining 12-16 weeks of inpatient clinical service.  Senior fellows also participate in teaching activities of the Division for the medical school microbiology course and fellows didactic lectures.  Fellows have a number of education opportunities including a weekly Case Conferences (replaced quarterly with first year fellow M & M presentations and Journal Clubs), Infectious Diseases Grand Rounds, Research in Progress, and a monthly half day Lecture Series. Fellows in the 2nd year of training can attend a national educational conference such as IDSA's ID Week. 

Continuity Clinic Experience

All fellows are assigned a continuity clinic at either UCH, VA or DH and see a panel of patients for a half day each Tuesday. This clinic provides continuity care for a panel of HIV patients, general ID outpatient consultation, and hospital follow up visits. Fellows will maintain the same clinic for the duration of their fellowship.