A Day in the Life of a Medical Microbiology Fellow: Four Perspectives

Medical microbiology is a dynamic science essential to the clinical diagnosis and management of infectious diseases. Medical microbiologists serve as content experts in bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites as they pertain to human infections. There are several different paths one may take to become the director of a medical microbiology laboratory, the most common of which are enrollment in an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-approved fellowship for applicants with medical degrees or an American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Subcommittee on Post-Graduate Education Programs (CPEP) fellowship for those with a Ph.D., M.D., Sc.D., D.O. and Dr. P.H. Upon completion of either track, fellows are eligible to sit for the American Board of Medical Microbiology (ABMM) examination. Additional eligibility tracks are available for equivalent training experiences in Canada and also through non-fellowship medical microbiology experience.