Why ID Medicine?

ID medicine is fundamental to the future of global health.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought the critical work of ID specialists into sharp focus for the first time for many Americans, yet ID professionals have been saving and improving lives for decades.

Around the world, infectious diseases claim the lives of 17 million people every year – and every year,
new and potentially dangerous organisms emerge. In 2019, a novel coronavirus brought us COVID-19. Even known pathogens can become resistant to treatment.

ID specialists take on life-threatening challenges like these and others – developing life-saving vaccines, providing leadership on public health challenges like antimicrobial resistance and working on the front lines of outbreaks like Ebola, Zika and COVID-19.

Yet, the rate and reach of new ID threats is outpacing the number of clinicians and researchers entering the field.

Without a robust and diverse pipeline of physicians, researchers and innovators entering the field of ID medicine, we face an inevitable health care crisis.

Our work ensures that when the next public health crisis arises, a well-equipped army of ID professionals is there to take it on.

Key Focus Areas

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

There is an urgent need to attract more young practitioners into the field of ID medicine. Despite its undisputed value, interest in the ID subspecialty has been trending downward for the past decade. IDSA Foundation is responding to this need, working to build the next generation of ID specialists ready to drive scientific discovery, lead public health programs and provide the life-saving clinical care humanity depends upon.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Diversity drives creativity and innovation, both key components of scientific exploration. In the context of health care, diversity is an integral part of building health equity, which expands our ability to provide culturally competent care. We are working toward an ID workforce that mirrors our communities in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status and other demographic markers to provide the best possible care across diverse patient populations.

research

The value of ID research goes well beyond the medical breakthroughs it makes possible; it’s also critical to our economic stability, health care infrastructure and disaster preparedness. In addition, early-career research funding is a key part of attracting new doctors to the field. Our research programs provide early-career physicians with the guided leadership and expertise they need to foster their clinical and research experience and expand their ID careers.