Pioneering Infectious Disease Care and Education

By Katherine Pflieger

Laura Kogelman, a committed physician and educator, has dedicated more than two decades to advancing patient care, public health, and medical education as a faculty member at Tufts University School of Medicine and as an attending physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine at Tufts Medical Center. Now, she takes on a new distinction as the inaugural holder of the Barbara McGovern, M.D., and David Stone, M.D., Professorship in Infectious Diseases at TUSM. A board-certified infectious disease specialist, Kogelman is recognized for her compassionate care and leadership in HIV prevention and education. A respected mentor and lecturer, she inspires the next generation of medical professionals while spearheading initiatives that bridge clinical excellence and public health outreach. Recently, Kogelman reflected on her career, the impact of this prestigious professorship, and her aspirations for advancing health equity and education in infectious diseases.

What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine, and what drew you to the field of infectious diseases?

"I have been interested in medicine since I was in junior high school. My father was a math professor, and he connected me to one of his colleagues in the biology department at the university where he worked, and she dissected a fetal pig with me in her lab. Fascinated, I knew from that point on that I wanted to do something in the medical field.

In college, I did research in neuroscience and initially thought that would be my focus. However, in my third year of medical school, I quickly learned that neurosurgery and neurology were not the clinical fields for me, but instead, I was drawn to internal medicine and infectious diseases, where I could be a problem solver, piecing together detailed histories and exposures to uncover the cause of infections. I also appreciated that with infectious diseases, we take care of the whole patient, not just one organ system."

What experiences during your career solidified your focus on infectious disease and HIV care?

"During my fourth year of medical school and early residency in the late 1990s, I was further drawn in by caring for patients with HIV. It was the beginning of the HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy) era when an HIV diagnosis was no longer a death sentence. I found the disease’s complexity—its link to opportunistic infections, the intricacies of treatment, and challenges like side effects, drug interactions, and resistance—intellectually stimulating. But more inspiring were the patients themselves. Addressing not only the disease but also the psychosocial issues surrounding it allowed me to form long-standing relationships with my patients and take a holistic approach to care, which fully resonated with my reasons for becoming a doctor in the first place."

Your career has focused on HIV treatment, prevention, and education. How has your approach to this work evolved over the years? Have there been specific challenges or breakthroughs that defined your career in this area?

"With HIV evolving from a life-threatening disease to a chronic illness, care has shifted significantly. Now, we focus more on quality of life, refining treatments to minimize side effects and prevent long-term complications. Advances have reduced pill burdens from complex cocktails to single daily tablets, and for some, even bi-monthly injections. Today, many of my patients face typical complexities of aging, with HIV often being the least of their issues.

Another major change is the ability to offer highly effective HIV and STI prevention options, which continue to improve. This progress provides an optimistic outlook for patients, whether living with or at risk for HIV, and it affects how I teach students and trainees about treating and preventing HIV."

What is your philosophy when it comes to teaching medical students, residents, and fellows, especially on sensitive topics like HIV and STIs?

"My philosophy is to be as transparent and direct as possible. If we as providers are comfortable talking about sensitive topics and we approach our patients in a supportive and non-judgmental way, then hopefully the patients will respond with openness and trust. This allows a successful doctor-patient relationship that can last for years and can help our patients navigate a range of challenges. They know that they can rely on us no matter what."

What does being named the inaugural holder of the Barbara McGovern, M.D., and David Stone, M.D., Professorship in Infectious Diseases mean to you personally and professionally?

"I knew Dr. McGovern and Dr. Stone first as teachers and then as colleagues. They modeled thoughtful, insightful, compassionate care for all patients. They were exemplars of providing care to patients in some of the most challenging situations and always treated everyone with the utmost respect. They always went above and beyond, especially for those who had the least.

With the platform provided by this professorship, I hope to work on ways to improve access to HIV and STI testing, treatment, and prevention, including outreach and education for the communities most at risk."

You’ve mentored numerous medical students and trainees over the years. What do you consider the most important lessons or skills you try to teach the next generation of medical professionals?

"One of the most important lessons is to meet patients where they are—intellectually, psychologically, and emotionally. We have the medical knowledge, but some patients need more time to accept our recommendations. It is crucial to engage with them and try to identify whatever barriers to care there might be. We may not be able to overcome every obstacle, but achieving an understanding of what those obstacles are can go a long way. Transparency and direct communication are key to helping our patients understand the rationale behind our recommendations."

What are your primary goals for the next few years in your research, teaching, and clinical practice?

"I would like to continue to try to improve access to HIV and STI treatment and prevention. In my role as director of the Collegiate Clinic for Wellness, I would also like to expand the services and education we provide students. Making sure testing and medications are easily accessible and affordable is critical to stopping the spread of these infections and improving the health of the individuals and communities most at risk."