Teena Chopra, MD, MPH, Professor, Infectious Diseases, Wayne State University

I am a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Wayne State University and the Corporate Medical Director of Hospital Epidemiology, Infection Prevention and Antibiotic Stewardship at Detroit Medical Center, Wayne State University. My research interests include Epidemiology of Healthcare-associated Infections, Infection Prevention, Antibiotic Stewardship, and Immunization.

How did you get interested in medical education?

Medical education is a critical part of academics. Having been trained by some great mentors, I was always drawn towards mentoring and training. My passion for medical education also stems from my family of academicians and educators.

How have you integrated medical education into your career?

Absolutely! I have been very actively involved in medical education. I have developed curriculums for various epidemiology and public health classes, and it has been a very rewarding experience.

You are a part of the Educational Panel of SHEA/CDC Outbreak Response Training; can you tell us about this role and how it relates to your career as a medical educator?

Being part of the SHEW /CDC Outbreak Response Training was an incredible experience. Such experiences help you grow as a leader and educator as you meet and network with other leaders in your field who can become lifelong friends and collaborators. It was certainly a humbling experience, and I have shared it with my junior faculty to inspire them to volunteer for opportunities with SHEA and IDSA.

You were featured in the IDSA Foundation “Women of ID Program”. What would you like to highlight for women pursuing a career as an ID clinician-educator?

Women are shaping our future in every field. We have great role models in ID who are women, and I believe we should continue sharing our experiences with other women to inspire them to pursue this fascinating field. Sharing, mentoring, and networking through meetings like SHEA and IDSA can be extremely helpful in preparing the next generation of Women in ID.

How have you transformed your medical education work into scholarship?

Yes, I believe every project that we pursue as academicians teaches us something unique. I have made it a habit always to write my learning, experiences, and opinions. Some of these have been published as papers in journals and have certainly added to the fund of knowledge.

What other innovative educational program or process are you excited about currently?

I am currently developing a pandemic preparedness curriculum for my fellowship program, which is very exciting. I think this is the perfect time to train future fellows in Pandemic preparedness.

What are some ways you’ve promoted diversity, equity, and inclusion in your work as an educator?

Being a woman of color, diversity, equity and inclusion come very naturally to me. It is part of my life and I practice it on a daily basis.

Tell us about the role you played in developing IDSA’s Community of Leaders curriculum.

I helped develop a curriculum on "Managing Change." It was one of the most fun and exciting learning experience for me. I loved to work with the other leaders in the group and gained insight into many different perspectives. I highly recommend this program to others.