Ambulatory Training
The Center for Infectious Diseases (CID) at Boston Medical Center provides comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic services in all areas of infectious diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS, STDs, and travel-related infections. We host New England’s largest HIV/AIDS program and one of Massachusetts’ largest STD practices. Located in the state-of-the-art Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Ambulatory Care Center, CID also leads robust research and public health initiatives.
Continuity Clinic
Fellows begin longitudinal half-day ambulatory training in their first month and continues throughout the fellowship. Patient care occurs at CID and optionally at the HIV Clinic at VABHS. Fellows also complete 5–6 sessions in the International Health Clinic.
In the continuity clinic, fellows evaluate and manage their own outpatient patient panels under attending supervision and preceptorship. Elements of this training include:
- HIV Primary Care & Consultation: Fellows will act as primary care providers for HIV patients at various stages of infection and participate in pre-clinic meetings to address relevant issues with the multidisciplinary care team. Additionally, fellows will attend weekly educational conferences pertaining to HIV (e.g., research talks, case discussions, journal clubs, practice forums).
- Infectious Disease Consultations: Fellows will develop ongoing treatment plans for patients post-hospitalization or referred directly to CID from outpatient providers who are often managing long-term infections.
Ambulatory Care Electives
- HIV-OB (Positive HOPE) Clinic: Experience in managing HIV in pregnancy, focusing on perinatal transmission prevention within a multidisciplinary care team. Participating fellows may attend this clinic either on an ad hoc or ongoing basis, contingent on approval within the Positive HOPE Clinic.
- Tuberculosis (TB) Clinic: Exposure to adult and pediatric TB care in a large urban setting, including screening, diagnosis, and management. Fellows will work under the direction of Dr. Karen Jacobson, and in collaboration with attendings, nurses, outreach workers, and translators. Fellows are encouraged to attend 6 sessions throughout their two years.
- HIV/Hepatitis C Co-infection Clinic: Training in co-infection management with Hepatology and ID attendings, including participation in post-clinic case reviews. Fellows are encouraged to attend 1-2 sessions.
- BMC Travel Clinic: Fellows will receive training in travel medicine, as well as diagnosing and treating geographical disease through sessions in the International Health Clinic. As part of this experience, fellows will help care for one of the largest cohorts of Chagas Disease patients in the country through our affiliation with Strong Hearts, a community-based screening program developed at our affiliated East Boston Neighborhood Health Center
- Refugee and Immigrant Health: Fellows may also choose to do rotations in the Immigrant and Refugee Health Program that provides health assessments for refugees. This program is one of the foremost centers for refugee and immigrant health in the country with providers who are experts in caring for immigrants and evaluating victims of torture.
STI/HIV Training
All second-year fellows attend a 4-day intensive clinical course via the Sylvie Ratelle STI/HIV Prevention Training Center of New England, a project funded by the CDC as part of their core ambulatory curriculum. Fellows will be trained in STI diagnosis and treatment, as well as management of clinic protocols and medical records. They will conduct sexual health evaluations and STAT testing procedures for point-of-care laboratories, in addition to gaining experience in clinical quality assurance and disease intervention techniques.