The Infectious Diseases Scholars Program (IDSP) has been established at Washington University to provide training opportunities for predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows in the area of infectious diseases and to foster further interactions between groups interested in various aspects of infectious disease research at Washington University. The educational aspect of this program provides an opportunity for students, postdoctoral fellows, infectious disease fellows and faculty to explore issues at the interface between patient care, public health and basic research in the area of microbial pathogenesis. The IDSP is a one-year program, with participants chosen on a competitive basis.