This month’s feature is Susan Wootton, MD, professor in the Department of Pediatrics Infectious Diseases Division.

What is your background? When did you join UTHealth Houston?
I was born in Greenwich, Conn. When I was two years old, my family moved to Ridgewood, N.J. and then to Marietta, Ga. when I was 11.  I loved growing up in this area of the U.S. and feel most at home when in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. I then moved all over for college (Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Va.), medical school (Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Ga.) and post-graduate training (UVA – Pediatrics, Charlottesville, Va.; BCM – Infectious Diseases, Houston; UBC – Vaccinology, Vancouver, BC). I joined UTHealth Houston in 2007

What inspired you to pursue a career in science and medicine?
My dad worked as a career consultant, so we talked a lot about my interests starting at a young age. I was always drawn towards STEM subjects, from fun science projects in middle school to ultimately majoring in mathematics. Medicine offered a pathway for applying these skills while serving others.  Pediatrics surfaced as an interest as I was drawn towards advocacy and prevention. Infectious diseases then offered the time and space to think about complex problems, echoing similar problem-solving skills used in mathematics. Additionally, so much of infectious diseases is about listening and bearing witness to a story. This always felt like a natural fit for me.

What are your current clinical and/or research interests?
My clinical and research interests have shifted over 25 years. When I finished medical school, I thought I would be a general pediatrician in private practice in Atlanta. By the end of residency, I changed course and applied to CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service. It was during this two-year training program that I became focused on the health of populations, vaccines, and infectious diseases.

Early in my academic career, I worked with surveillance systems related to vaccine preventable infections (e.g., influenza, varicella) and then continued similar work with neurologic infections. In 2012, I became more involved with UTHealth Houston’s Institute for Clinical Research and Learning Health Care both as an investigator and teacher within their Clinical Research Curriculum and MS program. Overall, my clinical research has focused on down-stream projects (i.e., T3-T4 research) that focus on translating evidence to practice (e.g., increasing vaccine uptake within high-risk populations) and reducing regulatory barriers.

Who are your role models?
I have many role models who have helped me stay on my surfboard. To start, the women in my family have been an anchor. Per my mom, I come from a “long line of strong, Irish women.” This messaging shaped my identity and encouraged me to follow my dreams, becoming the first female physician in our family.

Other role models include the many teachers, coaches, and mentors along the way – too many to count. An enormous amount of time and energy has been invested in my career for which I am committed to giving back to our community. Just this month, I met with two pediatric junior faculty mentees (Ashley Gibson and Chinu O’Connor). Both superstars! It’s been a joy watching their careers develop.

What do you enjoy most about working at UTHealth Houston?
UTHealth Houston offers a fascinating cross-roads within to work. Set within the largest medical center in the world, we serve a massive, diverse patient population. Many children in our area present with both medical and social complexity. About 1 in 10 children have no health insurance in the Houston area, twice the national rate. Consequently, we need highly functional, collaborative teams to address their needs. UTHealth Houston represents a fabulous group of dedicated colleagues. I have so enjoyed getting to know each of them!

How do you think UTHealth Houston can further support female faculty?
The AAMC’s 2023-2024 report, “The State of Women in Academic Medicine” offers insight into how UTHealth Houston could further support female faculty. As of 2023, the percentage of women in leadership roles has grown (27% of US medical school deans, 34% division chiefs and 45% of senior associate deans), however progress is still yet to be made with department chairs (only 25% nationally).

Challenges also remain in pay equity as well as gender harassment (i.e., 1 in 3 women having experienced in academic medicine). Fortunately, UTHealth Houston offers a multitude of resources for female faculty including the McGovern Women Faculty Forum, Faculty Affairs Office, Faculty Senate, University Relations and Equal Opportunity Office, Title IX Coordinators, as well as the University Ombuds Office.