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Fellow Education
The Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center provides world-class, comprehensive training in the clinical management of infectious diseases and research. Since its inception in 1957, the program has maintained a rich tradition of training clinical and scientific thought leaders in the field of ID.
Program aims
- Train fellows for excellence in the clinical knowledge and management of infectious diseases
- Develop a diverse workforce of future leaders in ID in academics, community practice, or industry
- Advance scientific knowledge and practice in the field of infectious diseases
- Allow fellows the opportunity to see an unsurpassed breadth and variety of clinical cases
- Promote individualized training pathways that foster unique and fulfilling careers
- Allow access to strong, expert faculty with excellence in clinical and translational research
What Our Program Offers
Two years of clinical ID training with protected time for scholarly activity or research.
Our training program includes several different training tracks in order to accommodate the career path of each individual:
- Antimicrobial Stewardship/Infection Prevention/Hospital Epidemiology Clinical Track
- HIV/STI Clinical Track
- Medical Education Clinical Track
- Transplant ID Clinical Track
At least 12 months of clinical ID training followed by one to three years of research training. Research training may be in basic science research or patient-oriented clinical investigation. Research training may be supported by an NIH T32 training grant or additional funding mechanisms which are available for qualified individuals who are not eligible for T32 support.
One year of clinical HIV training in the inpatient and outpatient setting as well as scholarly activity.
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![Program Aims](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="600" height="338"><rect fill-opacity="0"/></svg>)
Program aims
- Train fellows for excellence in the clinical knowledge and management of infectious diseases
- Develop a diverse workforce of future leaders in the ID in academics, community practice, or industry
- Advance scientific knowledge and practice in the field of infectious diseases
- Allow fellows the opportunity to see an unsurpassed breadth and variety of clinical cases
- Promote individualized training pathways that foster unique and fulfilling careers
- Allow access to strong, expert faculty with excellence in clinical and translational research
What Our Program Offers
Two years of clinical ID training with protected time for scholarly activity or research.
Our training program includes several different training tracks in order to accommodate the career path of each individual:
- Antimicrobial Stewardship/Infection Prevention/Hospital Epidemiology Clinical Track
- HIV/STI Clinical Track
- Medical Education Clinical Track
- Transplant ID Clinical Track
At least 12 months of clinical ID training followed by one to three years of research training. Research training may be in basic science research or patient-oriented clinical investigation. Research training may be supported by an NIH T32 training grant or additional funding mechanisms which are available for qualified individuals who are not eligible for T32 support.
One year of clinical HIV training in the inpatient and outpatient setting as well as scholarly activity.
What Our Fellows Have to Say
Kruti Yagnik, Class of 2021
Attending, Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, Florida
My name is Kruti Yagnik and I recently completed my ID fellowship in 2021. I was an ID fellow during the height of the COVID pandemic and although it was a completely crazy and stressful situation that none of us ever imagined, our program was extremely supportive throughout. When we had COVID admission surges, we did weekly "check in" calls with Dr. Cutrell (our program director) and Dr. Perl (our division chair) to make sure that we were all doing okay both at work and in our personal lives. The faculty that you work with at UTSW ID are unparalleled not only in their infectious disease knowledge, but also in their kindness and compassion. You feel that you are a family here and that we are all looking out for each other. The attendings are extremely easy to approach and talk to, and it seems that you are colleagues rather than in the medical hierarchy. There are also so many research opportunities since you rotate at multiple hospitals and clinics. The breadth of ID cases is unlike anything I've ever seen or imagined prior to coming here, due to the diversity of teaching sites and exposure to our very diverse patient population. When you leave here, you will truly have "seen everything" ID-related. I had a fantastic time in my fellowship and could not have asked for a better experience. I highly recommend this program be a top choice for anybody interested in a well-rounded and exceptional career in ID. I will be joining the ID physicians at Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital in Florida to be close to family, but I will always remember my time at UTSW very fondly.
Alonso Pezo Salazar, Class of 2021
Attending, Washington State Department of Corrections
I decided to train at UTSW in part due to my passion to work with underserved populations, the amazing faculty I met, and the markedly different training sites: a private quaternary care transplant center, a large VA hospital and one of the biggest county hospitals in the nation. However, an important factor that swayed me to come here was the fact Dallas County is one of the national epicenters of new HIV cases with a high rate of new AIDS diagnoses affecting underserved minorities. I was amazed by the breadth of pathology found here, the passionate faculty, and was privileged and humbled to learn from, care and advocate for my truly diverse patients. I also rotated at the Dallas County Jail ID clinic and was fascinated with the challenges and satisfactions involved with correctional health. This led me to accept a position as an Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases physician working for the Washington State Department of Corrections. As the COVID-19 pandemic struck Dallas, I felt our Program was overall very supportive of us fellows during the worst times and focused on keeping us safe and productive. There were countless opportunities to get involved too, and with help from my inspiring mentors, I spearheaded two QI projects related to improving COVID-19 care at the Dallas VA, which won awards in local and regional conferences. Overall, I loved training at UTSW and would recommend it to anyone who wants a superb clinical training with amazing research opportunities!
Richard Lueking, Class of 2022
UTSW has been an amazing place to learn and to see a wide range of pathology that I would not have seen elsewhere. The faculty is amazing and always supportive. There is no question that fellows leave the program prepared for their future practice no matter the setting. Dallas is an amazing place to live with a wide range of things to do and see. Whether your interests are in food, art, culture, or sports, there is something for you.
Apple Long, Class of 2022
I was lucky to train at UTSW both for residency as well as ID fellowship. I chose this program primarily to work at Parkland, a safety-net hospital for the under-insured of Dallas County. As it turned out- I have found breadth and diversity of diseases and patient population in all 3 hospitals that the UTSW program serves. On any given week, expect to see rare cases of invasive GI Mucorales, start someone with a new diagnosis of AIDs on ART (while treating them for a few OIs) as well as see the bread and butter of diabetic feet and bacteremias. The volume of patients and managing mega teams can be challenging but has been invaluable in preparation for any future career. Faculty here have your back but will encourage you to fly. Overall, Dallas has been an amazing place to live and train. I got married and started my family here (during a pandemic!). All of this could not have been possible without the support of our fearless program director, Dr. Cutrell, a lot of help from family and the myriad of top-notch restaurants available on UberEats.
Brian Hopkins, Class of 2022
UTSW is one of the best places to train for ID fellowship! We truly see the full breadth of cases, and the three training sites yield a variety of culture, socioeconomic status, and pathology. Volume is high, yet work hours are reasonable due to large teams with very motivated students, residents, and APPs. Staff and co-fellows are supportive, always looking to improve the program, and research opportunities are abundant with dozens of faculty. Dallas is a convenient, accessible, and affordable place to live with plenty to offer, and travel is easy with a major airport two miles from the hospital and several large cities within a few hours' drive. And of course other than the rare snowstorm, there is always an opportunity for outdoor activities!
John Hanna, Class of 2022
UT Southwestern ID fellowship program is empowered by training in different sites. Clements University Hospital where you get exposure to transplant/immune-compromised patients, Parkland Hospital which is the safety net county hospital that still has an inpatient HIV service, the second biggest VA Medical Center in the states, and Access Clinic with >5000 HIV patients. This wide array of clinical exposure guarantees a rich educational experience in diverse settings. Moreover, the big program size with diversity of Faculty's interests allows varied research interest match.
In Dallas, TX, you don't have to choose between affordability and quality of life. You can also option for walkability if you choose to live in downtown or uptown that are only 10–15-minute drive from all training sites.