Q&A with Brittany Lehrer, MD, MPH, assistant professor, Division of Infectious Diseases
Hometown: Hortonville, Wisconsin
Educational/professional background: I earned my MD degree from Chicago Medical School and completed my pediatrics residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Afterward, I moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where I completed a fellowship in pediatric infectious diseases and earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree.
Previous position (title, institution): Pediatric infectious diseases physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
What is your field of research or area of clinical care, and how did you get into it? I’m very excited about antimicrobial stewardship, which involves using the right antibiotic (or antimicrobial) at the right dose, frequency, and duration. This practice is crucial for keeping our patients safe and healthy. My interest in stewardship began during my first year as a fellow when I encountered numerous cultures with resistant organisms. Since then, I have participated in several stewardship projects, with my research specifically focusing on the appropriateness of pediatric outpatient antibiotics.
How would you describe your work to a 5-year-old? Sometimes kids get sick with bad germs. I’m a doctor who will help get rid of those bad germs so kids can go and play with their friends again.
What attracted you to UW–Madison? UW–Madison is this gem of a university where there are big things happening all around — clinical care, research, public health, global health — but it feels intimate. I’m working alongside internationally renowned physicians, but they have taken time to get to know me personally. This, and UW’s commitment to growth and exploring new opportunities, drew me in. The millions of ways to explore the outdoors doesn’t hurt either!
What is your favorite thing to do in Madison? Some of my favorite things to do so far are going for bike rides on all the different trails, camping in the area, and continuing my quest to find the best Indian food in town.
What’s one thing you hope trainees will learn from you and your work? Many trainees feel pressured to provide an answer when asked a question, but it’s impossible to know everything about medicine, or even within your subspecialty. There is absolutely nothing wrong with saying, “I don’t know, but I’ll try to figure it out.” This is especially important when talking to patients and families.
Do you feel your work relates to the Wisconsin Idea? If so, please describe how. My work focuses on the appropriate use of antibiotics in the inpatient and outpatient settings, often involving educating clinicians about infections and antibiotic prescriptions. But what if we expanded our approach? Imagine providing antibiotic education directly to patients and their families. Or consider thinking even broader — what if we could enhance antibiotic stewardship in farm animals or improve/further target pesticide use in agriculture? This concept of overall health via connecting human, animal, and environmental health is called One Health, and in my opinion, is a perfect example of the Wisconsin Idea in action.
What’s something interesting about your area of expertise you can share that will make us sound smarter during video chats and parties? “Put on your coat or you’ll catch a cold!” Cold winter air often gets a bad rap for making people sick, but it’s not the chilly weather that’s to blame. Instead, during winter, people tend to spend more time indoors and in close quarters — such as visiting friends or attending holiday gatherings — where germs can spread more easily. It’s the indoors, not the outdoors, that are actually increasing your chances of getting sick.
What are some of your hobbies and other interests? I love volleyball and find both playing and spectating to be fantastic. I also love camping, traveling to and exploring different countries, and at the risk of showing my age, crafting!