Emily Blumberg, MD, Professor of Medicine, Program Director Infectious Diseases Fellowship

After starting out with a focus on undergraduate medical education, Dr. Blumberg switched to working in Graduate Medical Education in 2003, when she became the Fellowship Training Program Director at the University of Pennsylvania. She has been especially interested in creating opportunities for trainees to develop their skillset in diverse areas of ID based on their own unique career goals. She has worked with her colleagues to develop specialized training tracks to help prepare fellows for their future careers and has consistently incorporated fellow and faculty feedback to enhance the training experience.

How did you get interested in medical education?

For me, it was all about mentorship. I had amazing ID mentors in Paul Arnow (during residency) and Frank Lowy (during fellowship). These individuals were exceptional educators who were able to teach at all levels and foster student and trainee excitement in learning. I have tried to model their examples in my own career in medical education

How have you integrated medical education into your career?

A significant amount of my time is spent leading the ID fellowship. Through this role, I have had the opportunity to interact with and learn from other program directors at Penn and other institutions on a regular basis, giving me the opportunity to expand my focus on medical education as it relates to fellowship training.

How did you transform your interest in medical education into a career?

Although I had a long standing interest in medical education, becoming a program director was largely the result of being in the right place at the right time. I had always enjoyed teaching and I think that my division chief recognized that when he was looking for a new PD when the former PD stepped down to take on a new role in the institution.

What is one medical innovation that makes you the most proud?

One innovation that makes me especially proud has been working with my colleagues and fellows to create specific training tracks. These are flexible learning experiences and each fellow is able to tailor their activities, including formal education, clinical experiences, and scholarly pursuits, to develop specific expertise in their areas of interest in a way that prepares them for their future career.

How have you transformed your medical education work into scholarship?

Most of my scholarship has been related to my area of research (transplant ID), but courtesy of the IDSA Training Program Directors Committee activities, I have been fortunate to work on several focused medical education projects (for example working with struggling learners), and we have had the opportunity to publish this work in OFID.

What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your career as an educator thus far?

The most rewarding part has been seeing my fellows succeed in and enjoy their careers and lives. I love catching up with them and really am so proud of all that they have and continue to accomplish.