Welcoming our New Infectious Diseases Fellows: Dr. Mackenzie Keintz

We are excited to welcome Dr. Mackenzie Keintz as a new fellow in our Infectious Diseases program! Read on to learn a little more about her…

Tell us about the position you are starting
I will be starting my Infectious Disease fellowship at University of Nebraska Medical Center. I will spend the next two (or three?!?) years learning about infectious diseases and antimicrobials. I plan to focus on antimicrobial stewardship and general infectious diseases but look forward to learning about all areas in the next few years!

Tell us about your background
I was born in a small town in northern Wisconsin. I did my undergraduate studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, WI where I majored in Medical Microbiology and Immunology and Biology. This is where I first developed my love for infectious diseases! I then went to medical school at St. George’s University. I spent my first two years in Grenada where I got to see tropical infectious diseases first hand. I then moved to Atlanta, Georgia to finish medical school. I came to UNMC for my Internal Medicine residency and am very excited to be staying for my Infectious Diseases fellowship.

Why did you choose to come work at UNMC
I chose UNMC for Internal Medicine residency in part because of the strong Infectious Diseases fellowship program. During residency, I was able to form strong mentorship bonds that truly made leaving the program incredibly hard. Working with the incredible faculty throughout my three years made staying at UNMC the right decision for my career. My interest in ID is antimicrobial stewardship. Our stewardship team is one of the best in the country (maybe I’m biased?), and I look forward to training under them throughout my fellowship. Furthermore, having access to the biocontainment unit and leaders in the field of emerging pathogens is an experience I don’t know I would be able to get anywhere else. Our training here is well balanced between general ID, immunocompromised services, and antimicrobial stewardship so I know that when I come out of fellowship I will be prepared for whatever position I decide to take.

What makes you excited about working in ID
Initially what attracted me to ID was getting to play detective on the strange and interesting cases. The part of ID that I find most interesting (or maybe equally interesting) at this point in my career is antimicrobial stewardship. I really enjoy taking care of patients with very complex problems, determining when/and if antibiotics are required and if we can narrow our spectrum to fight antimicrobial resistance.

Tell us something about yourself that is unrelated to medicine
In addition to my interest in microbes, I also have an interest in other flora and fauna. Within my house you will find two rabbits, two cats, a planted aquarium full of fish and innumerable shrimp, as well as orchids, mushrooms, cacti, and many other plants. It is honestly a wonder that everyone manages to coexist.

Dr. Keintz’s rabbits, Reggie (L) and Fay (R)

Learn more about the UNMC Infectious Diseases Fellowship here.

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