The 2026 Nebraska Infectious Diseases Conference brought together infectious diseases clinicians, pharmacists, researchers, public health professionals, and trainees from across Nebraska for a day of learning and collaboration. Educational sessions addressed topics including measles outbreaks, antimicrobial stewardship, tickborne diseases, waterborne pathogens in healthcare settings, and infection prevention in long-term care. Dr. Wendy Armstrong (IDSA Present-Elect) gave the opening Keynote presentation on the future of our specialty.
The highlight of the meeting was the trainee scholarship session, where medical students, residents, fellows, and other learners presented posters and oral abstracts showcasing clinical research, quality improvement initiatives, educational scholarship, and challenging clinical cases. The session provided an opportunity for trainees to share their work, receive feedback, and engage with colleagues from across Nebraska’s infectious diseases community. ID Fellow Dr. Albert Wu, and medical students Olivia Youngblood and Meena Rahmanzai presented top abstracts as oral podium presentations. The poster session was very competitive, and all of the trainees did well![Cover photo description: Winners L-R: Meena Rahmanzai, Olivia Youngblood, Gigi Green, Sarah Uhm, Charlie Oertli, Albert Wu (and UNMC ID mascott, Sue Da Monas in foreground)]
| Research Category Winners | Case Vignette Category Winners | |
| Top Oral Abstract | Albert Wu, MD: Impact of Plasma Microbial Cell-Free DNA Diagnostics on the Incidence of NHSN-Defined CLABSI Infection Rates | Olivia Youngblood: Beyond Daily Adherence: Long-Acting Injectable Antiretroviral Therapy in a Patient With Severe and Persistent Mental Illness Meena Rahmanzai: Mild Encephalopathy with Reversible Splenial Lesion Syndrome (MERS) Following Viral Gastroenteritis in a Previously Healthy Child |
| 1st Place Poster | Charlie Oertli, MD: Perimenopausal Outpatients with Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection: Antibiotic Susceptibility and Predictors of Resistance | Jaiyda Moore: Tricky Trich: A Case of Resistant Trichomonas vaginalis |
| 2nd Place Poster | Nicole Arens and Alyssa Lawrence: Impact of Pre‑Admission Healthcare Utilization and Social Deprivation on Hospital Length of Stay Among Patients with Cardiac and Endovascular Implant Infections. | Gigi Green, DO: Reassessing the Previously Described Drug-Drug Interaction Between Rilpivirine and Urosdiol: A Case Report Demonstrating Adequate Levels of Long-Acting Injectable Rilpivirine |
| 3rd Place Poster | Savannah Horne and Sarah Uhm Understanding Dalbavancin Use Among Infectious Diseases Clinicians: A Single-Center, Mixed-Methods Survey | Charlie McNellis and Rolando Martinez-Rico : Varicella Zoster Virus Vasculopathy in a Patient with Advanced HIV |
The strength of the trainee presentations reflects years of intentional efforts by faculty mentors, training programs, and professional organizations to create opportunities for scholarly development.
Photo gallery showing learners presenting their abstracts as posters or oral presentations.
From Power Hour to Presentation
Several trainee projects presented at the conference reflect the success of the UNMC ID Interest Group’s “ID Power Hour,” a student-led mentorship initiative described in the publication Infectious Diseases Power Hour: A Student-Led Model for Faculty Mentorship and Scholarly Engagement, led by former student Dr. Jacob Owens and recently published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases.
Launched in 2023, the UNMC ID Power Hour program pairs medical students with infectious diseases faculty mentors to develop clinical case abstracts for presentation at the Nebraska Infectious Diseases Society Annual Meeting. Over its first two years, 38 medical students collaborated with 9 faculty mentors on 19 clinical cases, resulting in 17 presentations at the NIDS meeting, additional presentations at other conferences, and peer-reviewed publications. The study also demonstrated strong mentorship outcomes, with nearly 90% of participants reporting positive faculty support and all respondents indicating they would recommend the experience to other students. Many participants reported increased confidence in scholarly writing, and most planned to pursue additional scholarly dissemination of their work.
The strong trainee presence at this year’s conference reflects a growing culture of mentorship and scholarship within Nebraska’s infectious diseases community. By creating opportunities for learners to work alongside faculty mentors and present their findings, programs such as IDIG Power Hour and the annual NIDS conference continue to support the development of future infectious diseases clinicians, educators, and researchers.
Congratulations to all of the trainee presenters and winners, thank you to the judges and abstract reviewers, and thank you to all of the speakers and the NIDS team members who helped to make this year’s conference and trainee session another success!