The Impact of Infectious Diseases Scholarly Mentorship on Subsequent Infectious Disease Fellowship Application

Introduction: Infectious diseases physicians invest significant time mentoring medical students and internal medicine residents through research projects as well as case reports. Although having an infectious diseases mentor has been shown to be associated with subsequent infectious diseases fellowship application, the impact of specific scholarly activities on future application to infectious diseases fellowship is unknown. Methods: All research and case reports published or presented from Brooke Army Medical Center between 2014 and 2022 with an infectious diseases senior author and a medical student or internal medicine resident first author were evaluated. The presentations and publications that resulted from each project as well as whether the trainee applied to infectious diseases were recorded. Results: During the study period, 16 faculty mentored 35 medical student and resident research projects and 26 case reports. Research and case reports were primarily performed by residents (88% and 96%, respectively). Compared to case reports, research projects were more likely to be presented at national meetings (77% vs 32%, P =. 0009). Of the 55 projects performed by trainees who completed training, research was associated with greater rates of infectious disease fellowship application as compared to case reports (41% vs 4%, P =. 0012). Conclusions: Internal medicine resident and medical student involvement in research mentored by an infectious disease physician was associated with a greater infectious diseases fellowship application rate as compared to those who were mentored for case reports. Investment in trainee research may be a strategy for recruiting the next generation of infectious diseases physicians.