My extensive experience conducting research using healthcare datasets from the Military Health System (MHS) Data Repository (MDR) started during my residency training and continues today. Through six projects using the MDR, I understand the data strengths, limitations, and how to translate the raw data into meaningful knowledge to answer clinical and public health questions. It is important to me to seek clinical questions that can be influenced or changed by policy and practice to impact a greater population. Beyond understanding dataset utilization, I offer crucial clinical insight for data selection, including expertise in chart review and REDCap design.  

As a Pediatric Infectious Diseases physician, the majority of my research is centered on travel-related infections. In my role as associate investigator for the Deployment and Travel Medicine Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Outcomes study, I extensively utilize MDR data for three lines of analysis addressing malaria, soil-transmitted helminths, and tuberculosis. From this work I currently have two manuscripts published (malaria work) and one under review examining a cohort of cutaneous larva migrans cases within the MHS. My work has consistently emphasized the translation of research findings into practical applications, whether through quality improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing access and compliance, or through my direct involvement in conceptualizing study designs to inform clinical practice. Furthermore, I have experience writing Clinical Practice Guidelines and understand the data needed to support the recommendations provided. As the Division Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, I understand how to implement guidelines into practice.

Tropical Medicine with focus on malaria

Travel Medicine (pre-travel and returning traveler)

Pediatric Infectious Diseases