INTEC medical graduate selected as president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
Dr. Máximo Brito, professor of medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago and chief of infectious disease at the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Hospital, was chosen to be part of the shortlist for a four-year period.
SANTO DOMINGO.- Dr. Maximo Brito, graduated from Reproductive of the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), was selected as a member of the presidential shortlist of the American Society for Infectious Diseases (IDSA), one of the world's most prestigious medical organizations in its field.
Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, IDSA represents physicians, scientists, and researchers specializing in infectious diseases and is a global leader in promoting evidence-based health policies, continuing education, and scientific advancement in the field of infectious diseases.
Dr. Brito, currently Professor of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), was chosen to join the Presidential Track de IDSA extension, which means he will take office as vice president in October 2025, become president-elect in 2026, and finally be sworn in as the sixty-fifth president. president of the entity in October 2027.
“It is truly an honor to have been elected vice president and future president of such a prestigious society as the IDSA,” Dr. Brito said in an interview with INTEC. “It is a position I assume with great enthusiasm and commitment because of what it represents for those who come after me. The promotion of young North American and Latin American physicians, especially Dominicans, is my focus and attention at this stage of my career,” he stated.
The IDSA election process is highly competitive and involves several phases. First, the Leadership Committee, composed of former leaders and prominent members, selects a shortlist of candidates for leadership positions. This shortlist is ratified by the organization's Board of Directors and subsequently submitted to an electronic vote of all members.
The candidate selected for the presidential nomination assumes a four-year commitment, ensuring stability, continuity, and strategic vision in institutional management.
From his future position as IDSA president, Dr. Brito intends to promote initiatives focused on protecting the medical and scientific achievements of recent decades. “I believe our society is an important voice in communicating reliable, evidence-based information to the public in key areas of public health, such as immunizations, emerging disease outbreaks, and the threat of antibiotic-resistant infections,” he said.
In addition, he emphasized his commitment to mentoring and developing new generations of medical professionals.
With more than two decades of experience at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Dr. Brito serves as a full professor and chief of Infectious Diseases at the Jesse Brown VA Hospital. He considers this facility his professional home, where he has been able to combine medical care with teaching and research. “UIC has allowed me to care for hundreds of patients, and that is my greatest personal satisfaction,” he said.
Connection with his alma mater
His connection with INTEC remains deeply rooted. “My interest in infectious diseases, public health, and a professorial career began at INTEC. There, I had my first opportunity as a microbiology professor, and the rural internship at Juan Barón planted the seed of a community vocation that still flourishes,” he reflected. Through inter-institutional agreements, the doctor continues to collaborate with INTEC in mentoring and research, and expresses his desire to continue strengthening those ties in the near future.
Brito is currently completing HIV prevention studies in Chicago, but plans to dedicate himself more fully to his duties at IDSA and, eventually, return to the Dominican Republic more actively. “At this stage of my life, my dream is to eagerly plan a return to my roots to contribute more directly to our development as a nation,” he shared with emotion.
La Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) was founded in 1963.