We are excited to welcome Dr. Brianna Desa 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
As a fellow, I will work closely with infectious disease attending physicians as well as internal medicine residents and medical students in all aspects of infectious disease. I will be working at both main campus and Bellevue Medical Center as well as working in both inpatient and outpatient capacities. I will be focused on learning about all things disease related, including diagnosing syndromes, treatment regimens, public health, and antimicrobial stewardship.
Tell us about your background
I was born and raised in Omaha, NE. I attending undergrad at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, MO. I briefly worked as a medical scribe in dermatology at UNMC after undergrad. I then attended medical school at Kansas City University at the Joplin, MO campus. I completed my internal medicine residency at the Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University. I am thrilled to be moving back to my hometown to complete my next phase of training.
Why did you choose to come work at UNMC
My father is a physician at UNMC, so I was familiar with UNMC long before I even thought of attending medical school. I always admired the reputation of UNMC in our community and knew that I wanted to train at a large academic institute. Specifically with regards to infectious disease, it has a phenonmenal reputation and widespread reach in many areas of ID, including antimicrobial stewardship and global health. In March 2026, I gave birth to my son, so moving back home to be near family sealed the deal for me, and I could not be more grateful to be here.
What makes you excited about working in ID
I enjoy how broad the field of infectious disease is. Pathogens do not discriminate between gender, race, or age. Working in this field will allow me to interact with every subspecialty of medicine, both surgical and nonsurgical, and maintain my fundamental knowledge as an internal medicine physician. I love that this field is ever-changing, with updated guidelines being released all the time. I am excited about the balance between inpatient and outpatient experiences and the work-life balance that this field provides. I also enjoy learning about the intersection of the field of infectious diseases with public health and find vaccine development fascinating.
Tell us something about yourself that is unrelated to medicine
I love 80s rock music and have attended many concerts over the years. I have two dogs and two cats in addition to my infant, and I love how busy life has become! I also enjoy reading and watching true crime documentaries in my free time. My husband and I also enjoy traveling whenever we have the time.
Tell us about your first few months as a fellow
My first few months of fellowship has been a whirlwind! There has been a ton of learning, and it is always difficult to adjust to a new hospital campus and electronic medical record. However, the faculty and support staff has been so patient and kind in helping the transition to fellowship not feel so overwhelming. I feel very supported and am starting to get the hang of things. I have already been exposed to so many interesting ID cases, both inpatient and outpatient, and cannot wait for all the learning that is to come.
