Transplant Infectious Disease & Compromised Host Fellowship

About the Transplant Infectious Disease and Compromised Host Fellowship Program

The Transplant Infectious Disease and Compromised Host Fellowship Program at Massachusetts General Hospital trains fellows to become experts in transplant infectious disease management of patients with immunocompromised systems. This program is designed for fellows who have completed their first clinical training year in infectious diseases and want to grow their skills in caring for immunocompromised patients who are preparing to undergo transplant surgery for solid organs, bone marrow and stem cells. A full-time research track is also available for fellows who intend to commit to additional training for at least one to two years.

As part of this fellowship, infectious disease management fellows:

• Participate in at least one advanced clinical year focused on the care of immunocompromised patients
• Receive exposure to diverse immune deficits, chemotherapy and immunotherapies
• May arrange to participate in clinical trials and translational research that target improved treatment and outcomes for these susceptible patient populations

Learning Objectives

By the end of their training, fellows will become experts in:

• Multidisciplinary approaches to complex patients with organ failure, malignancy and immunosuppression
• The pre- and post-transplantation assessment of critically ill patients
• The timeline of infection after transplantation
• Managing patients experiencing side effects from immunomodulator therapies (CAR-T, checkpoint inhibitors)
• Deploying diagnostic techniques in clinical management including clinical microbiology and molecular diagnostic tools and diagnostic radiology
• Developing individualized prophylactic (prevention) strategies including immunizations and prophylaxis
• Mitigating side effects of antimicrobial antibiotic therapies
• Enhancing lifestyle safety for patients after transplant (e.g., travel medicine and personal hygiene)
• Important aspects of basic science relevant to transplant immunology and infectious disease including ongoing translational research programs in tolerance induction, organ perfusion, xenotransplantation, and novel immunosuppression strategies

Curriculum

Team Structure and Clinical Responsibilities

The Transplant Infectious Disease and Immunocompromised inpatient service is led by one attending physician, one first-year infectious disease fellow and one to two second-year fellows. This team conducts urgent pre-transplant evaluations and directs the care of new patients with infectious disease syndromes. The fellows and attending round with the organ transplant team every morning. Second-year fellows will also participate in the outpatient care of transplant recipients.

Leaders in Infectious Disease Research

Mass General transplant infectious disease management specialists lead the advancement of antimicrobial and immunosuppressive protocols in both clinical care and clinical trials. The team holds multiple National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported awards to investigate fundamental mechanisms of transplant immunology and associated translational studies.

They collaborate with basic and clinical research scientists to study:

• The biology of B and T cells
• Organ repair and regeneration
• Bone marrow transplantation
• Xenotransplantation
• Pre-clinical models of tolerance induction for clinical use

Requirements and Timeline

This program is open to those trainees who have successfully completed:

• One year in an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-certified infectious disease fellowship program or equivalent
• Training in internal medicine

Applications should be submitted by the September 1 that precedes the year of the desired start date.

How to Apply

To apply, applicants should submit:

• A CV
• A brief statement of career goals
• At least two letters of recommendation

Submit applications to:

Jay A. Fishman, MD
Director, Transplant Infectious Disease and Compromised Host Fellowship Program
Associate Director, Mass General Transplant Center
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Massachusetts General Hospital
Transplant Center
55 Fruit Street, WH510A
Boston MA, 02114

Email Dr. Fishman