Brian Schwartz, MD Receives the IDSA Society Citation Award

The Society Citation Award is given in recognition of exemplary contribution to IDSA, outstanding discovery in the field of infectious diseases, or a lifetime of outstanding achievement in a given area – whether research, clinical investigation or clinical practice. This year IDSA presents this award to Brian S. Schwartz, MD.

Brian S. Schwartz, MD, a nationally recognized leader in infectious diseases medical education, is the recipient of a 2019 IDSA Society Citation. First awarded in 1977, this is a discretionary award given in recognition of exemplary contribution to IDSA, an outstanding discovery in the field of infectious diseases, or a lifetime of outstanding achievement.

As increasing numbers of physicians seek careers in medical education and as the ID specialty works to attract applicants to the field, Dr. Schwartz’s efforts to enhance ID medical education have been particularly critical. He has been instrumental in the development of a robust medical education track that now runs throughout IDWeek. Entering its fifth year, the program has grown to include Meet the Professor sessions and symposia, an abstract category with posters and an oral abstract session, a coaching program for junior faculty clinician educators, and videos providing teaching instruction to IDWeek speakers to help them deliver effective presentations. He has also led efforts to enhance preclinical microbiology education, an important opportunity to interest medical students in careers in ID.

A past member of IDSA’s Education Committee, Dr. Schwartz served as the founding chair of the Society’s Medical Education Work Group, and, with others, has been leading efforts to launch IDSA’s Medical Education Community of Practice, the organization’s first community of practice. The group will support IDSA members to become better teachers of all learner groups, and will support and advocate for the career development of clinician educators, with the end goal of helping to recruit the best and brightest to the field of ID.

Dr. Schwartz is an associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he serves as vice chief of clinical affairs for the Division of Infectious Diseases and as director of the ID fellowship program, in addition to holding several teaching roles, where he has had a great impact on students and trainees. He was elected into the Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators at his institution, and he has received several additional honors for teaching and mentoring, including the Gold-Headed Cane Endowed Teaching Chair in Internal Medicine at UCSF. After earning his medical degree from Rush Medical College, Dr. Schwartz completed his internship and residency training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital, followed by fellowships in infectious diseases and clinical pharmacology at UCSF.

A collaborative innovator, Dr. Schwartz has played a leading role in driving IDSA’s efforts to support ID medical education and to develop it as an area of concentration. His accomplishments will impact students, residents, fellows, and ID fellows for years to come. IDSA is delighted to add a 2019 Society Citation to his long list of accomplishments.