by Sharon Fernandez (G3)
Richard Merkhofer, Jr, MD, PhD is a PGY5 fellow in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt. Although his current research focuses on tuberculosis, he has studied many different organisms throughout his career. In his first foray into research as an undergraduate student, he studied ferns and their response to desiccation. He even spent a semester abroad collecting ferns in Costa Rica! In combination with his longtime interest in science, this experience led him to plan for a career in scientific research. In his last summer of college, Richard pursued a summer research opportunity at the NIH, where he worked on an immunology project and began contemplating the MD/PhD pathway. He then studied sandflies and leishmaniasis for a year while applying to medical school. Later, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for his PhD, his doctoral work focused on blastomycosis (very appropriate for the region, as STEP studying has drilled into us!). He currently studies tuberculosis, leveraging the strong mentorship and resources in this area at Vanderbilt.
Throughout our conversation, the theme “just roll with it” continued to surface. As his research journey has taken him from ecology to infectious disease, Dr. Merkhofer recalls that everything can be useful and applicable later along the career path. For example, ecology research has informed the way he thinks about infectious disease – after all, a fern’s island ecosystem is not unlike a host’s microbiome! When describing some of the unexpected twists in his career, Dr. Merkhofer emphasized that these were great opportunities to pause, reflect, and grow; there is always a chance to pivot. He also encouraged seeking advice from official or unofficial mentors – the people in places you want to be in five to ten years.
The MD/PhD pathway is a long one, and there are many activities to juggle – from research to clinical medicine to family, hobbies, and personal life. Dr. Merkhofer’s advice was to choose the things you love and make those a priority. Adopting his now ten-year-old dog during his first year of graduate school helped him learn to work efficiently, be home by a certain time, and prioritize things outside of work. Dr. Merkhofer reminisced fondly on his years in the University of Wisconsin-Madison MD/PhD program. While graduate school is of course an opportunity to conduct exciting research, “don’t undervalue how special it is to be surrounded by your MSTP cohort. Invest in those relationships.”
Dr. Merkhofer welcomes MSTP students to reach out to him to chat about infectious diseases, immunology, or transplant medicine, or if they want a sounding board while navigating the many transitions in the MSTP training pathway. The Edwards-Goodpasture college is grateful to have him as one of our PSTP Associate College Advisors!