We are excited to welcome Dr. Bryan Walker as a new fellow in our Infectious Diseases program! Read on to learn a little more about him…
Tell us about the position you are starting
I am beginning my first year in infectious diseases training at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). Over the next two years I will be immersed in the sub-specialty of infectious diseases, both in the inpatient and outpatient settings. My hope is that my time here will help me become a clinician expertly prepared to assess and care for those affected by infectious diseases.
Tell us about your background
I am from East Tennessee and went to college at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. My undergraduate degree was in microbiology, which is where I first became interested in infectious diseases. After college, I moved to Maryland to work at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, where I studied and worked on fungal genomics. My boss in Maryland was an infectious diseases doctor and he largely propelled me toward a career in medicine. Subsequently, I attended medical school at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, DC. I came back down to Knoxville, Tennessee for internal medicine residency. Throughout my clinical training, infectious diseases have remained a key interest.
Why did you choose to come work at UNMC
I originally visited Omaha and UNMC when I was interviewing for internal medicine residency back in 2017. After my interview, I knew that it was a special place in terms of internal medicine practice and training. It stayed on my mind throughout residency as a definite place of interest. After researching the program for infectious diseases fellowship, I was especially struck at how both comprehensive and well-organized the training program appeared to be. Having dedicated clinical experiences in orthopedics, oncology, and transplant, for example, caught my eye. After my interview day, I learned that the program’s strongpoints were largely the result of a dedicated program leadership and faculty. There is a sincere interest at UNMC in helping me become the clinician I hope to be.
What makes you excited about working in ID
I am excited to work in ID for so many reasons! For one, I love how pervasive the field is. Perhaps more so than any other specialty, it is fundamentally shaped by humankind, our interactions with one another, and our role in nature. As a result, there is not a single patient, culture, or community unaffected by it. There will always be a new problem to solve and challenge to overcome. Secondly, I identify with the culture (no pun intended!) of infectious diseases medicine. Patient advocacy, scholarship, and a general conscientiousness toward patient care are characteristics exemplified by my own clinical role models. It seems more than just a coincidence that most all of them are infectious diseases practitioners.
Tell us something about yourself that is unrelated to medicine
Outside of medicine, I have been fortunately married to the smartest and coolest person I know for six years now and we are expecting our first child this summer! We like to cook, eat, watch movies, read, and work-out together. I’ve also played guitar since I was a kid and still enjoy trying to play when I have a chance to. I just picked up rollerblading again after an 18-year hiatus and have not broken any bones yet. Overall, my wife and I are excited about living here in Omaha, seeing what the area has to offer and seeing in what ways we can help!
Learn more about the UNMC Infectious Diseases Fellowship here.
I had the fortune to meet Dr. Walker a couple of days ago. I was impressed with the amount of care and attention he had toward me and my case. Thank you so much and may G-d always bless you Dr Walker!