Michael T. Melia, MD, FIDSA, is an extraordinary clinical educator who has dedicated his career to teaching infectious diseases and elevating the national culture of support for ID clinician-educators. An “educator’s educator,” Dr. Melia is committed to shaping the next generation of medical professionals.
A gifted teacher with the ability to translate complex concepts into relevant lessons with humility and clarity, Dr. Melia’s impact reaches far beyond his own learners as he mentors, develops and uplifts other ID educators, and he leads with vision and generosity.
An associate professor of medicine in the Infectious Diseases Division at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Melia holds significant education leadership roles. He currently serves as vice chair for education in the Department of Medicine and has been director of the ID Fellowship Training Program since July 2015.
In his contributions to IDSA, Dr. Melia chairs the IDSA Medical Education Community of Practice following roles as the group’s vice chair (2021-2023) and IDWeek Workgroup chair (2019-2021). Under his leadership, the CoP has flourished into a national hub for collaboration, mentorship and professional development. He previously chaired the Society’s Training Program Directors’ Committee from 2019 through 2021.
Dr. Melia’s dedication to education carries over into his service to IDWeek. He has spearheaded efforts to expand IDWeek programming, foster cross-institutional networks and create growth opportunities for educators at all stages of their careers. Among his most impactful contributions have been his contributions to the IDWeek Clinician Educator Coaching Program, which pairs early-career faculty with senior faculty coaches for career advice and advancement. Dr. Melia helped build and grow this initiative and remains one of its most sought-after coaches – multiplying the impact of his educational leadership.
His guidance has also transformed the IDWeek medical education abstract review process. Dr. Melia introduced reviewer training, standardized scoring and a culture of constructive feedback to enhance the experience for both authors and reviewers.
While previously serving as associate program director for faculty development at the Osler Internal Medicine Residency Program, Dr. Melia developed a longitudinal coaching program for 145 internal medicine residents and led faculty development for 24 coaches. He continuously uses his influence to elevate others and encourage those around him to adopt a mindset of growth, reflection and excellence.