Careers

How do I become an Infectious Disease doctor?

ID is a subspecialty. This means that you must first finish a residency in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Med/Peds, or occasionally OB/GYN, and then you apply for a two-year fellowship in ID.

AMA Statistics on ID Subspecialty

What can I do with an ID subspecialty? Do I have to work outside the U.S.?

There are many opportunities for ID specialists both within and outside the U.S. You can work with the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service and be first on the scene to investigate suspicious outbreaks around the country, or you can lead your state and local health department's efforts to control the spread of STDs. You can conduct research at the NIH or teach at a top university. If you are interested in patient care, know that private practice is the most rapidly growing profession for ID doctors; particularly with the increase in antibiotic resistance, there is always demand for ID specialists in the pharmaceutical industry.