Welcome from the Division Director
Michael Saccente, M.D.
Division Director
Welcome to the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
The Division of Infectious Diseases is dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases. Our faculty members and fellows provide compassionate, evidence-based care for a diverse group of patients at the UAMS Medical Center and the John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital. Areas of special interest for clinical practice and research within the division include blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, HIV medicine, transplant infectious diseases, tick-borne infections, infection prevention, and antimicrobial stewardship. UAMS is an HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act clinical trial site for both kidney and liver transplantation. We thrive on collaborative relationships within UAMS and with our sister institutions, Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the Arkansas Department of Health.
The UAMS Medical Center has a state-of-the-art clinical microbiology laboratory, which was the third clinical lab in the country to employ the Accelerate Pheno™ rapid microbial identification and antibiotic susceptibility test system. This system and other cutting-edge molecular diagnostic platforms improve our ability to care for patients, help us achieve our antimicrobial stewardship goals, and provide opportunities for clinical research.
The division consists of committed teachers and mentors. The breadth of pathology we encounter in our day-to-day practice provides an exciting and fertile ground for our trainees, including students, residents, and fellows. The division emphasizes and models for trainees the habit of lifelong learning. Weekly educational sessions include the longest running journal club on campus, a combined adult and pediatric infectious diseases case conference, and a conference of core infectious diseases topics. A member of the Division of Infectious Diseases has been the internal medicine residency program director continuously since 1994. As a matter of routine, we earn multiple teaching accolades every year.
The Division of Infectious Diseases is relatively small and close-knit. The division prides itself on collegiality and camaraderie. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the division scored in the 90th percentile on the 2022 Gallup Q12 Employee Engagement Survey. I am fortunate to lead such an outstanding group of doctors.
Michael Saccente, M.D., FACP, FIDSA
Division Director