Get to know Dr. Michael Scolarici

Michael Scolarici, MD

Assistant Professor 
Infectious Disease

What is your primary professional focus as it relates to our mission areas (clinical, research and/or medical education)?  
My clinical focus is transplant infectious diseases (TID): patients with solid organ and stem cell transplants, hematologic malignancies, and more. I have particular interests in post-transplant viral infections, nontuberculous mycobacteria, and fungi. My long-term career goal is to improve infectious disease outcomes in these populations using methods from epidemiology and implementation science. I also enjoy teaching ID (it's the best)!

What drew you to UW–Madison and the Department of Medicine?   
The culture at UW cannot be beat. During my training I found a supportive and intellectually stimulating community, and I was excited to stay at an institution with a very active solid organ and stem cell transplant program, where I could continue to care for complex patients and collaborate across disciplines.

What are you most excited about during your first year with the department in this role?  
I’m excited to deepen my clinical expertise and contribute to ongoing research and quality improvement efforts in TID. I’m also looking forward to mentoring trainees and building educational content that connects clinical cases with evidence-based practice.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?  
I love spending time with my two sons (ages six and four); they keep my wife and I busy! I also enjoy running along Lake Mendota, though I'm not as fast as I once was.

Favorite piece of advice from a mentor or inspiring figure in your life?  
When I was an intern, my program director encouraged us to identify core values to guide our personal mission and careers. Mine have been love, curiosity, and integrity, and I try to make important decisions in both my personal life and professional work with those values in mind.