Dr. Paige Waterman, USU Medicine Chair, Honored by American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Uniformed Services University professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine Dr. Paige Waterman was inducted as a Fellow of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

The fellowship was awarded in recognition of Dr. Waterman consistently emphasizing "the value and importance of the ASTMH to her colleagues, staff, and students," as a dedicated member for more than thirteen years. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Paige Waterman)
The fellowship was awarded in recognition of Dr. Waterman consistently emphasizing "the value and importance
of the ASTMH to her colleagues, staff, and students," as a dedicated member for more than thirteen years. (Photo
courtesy of Dr. Paige Waterman)

December 7, 2023 by Hadiyah Brendel 

Ret. Army Col. (Dr.) Paige Waterman, professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University’s (USU) School of Medicine, was inducted as a Fellow of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH). 

Retired Army Col. Dr. Paige Waterman, professor and Chair, Department of Medicine, was inducted as a Fellow into the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. (Photo credit: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene)
Retired Army Col. Dr. Paige
Waterman, professor and Chair,
Department of Medicine, was
inducted as a Fellow into the
American Society of Tropical
Medicine and Hygiene. (Photo credit:
American Society of Tropical
Medicine and Hygiene)
“Dr. Waterman’s career spans an impressive array of clinical, research, educational, and service activities during a twenty-year career in the U.S. Army and now as a civilian faculty and chair of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University,” said Army Col. (Dr.) Patrick Hickey, chair of USU’s Department of Pediatrics, who was among those who nominated Waterman for the prestigious fellowship. “Dr. Waterman is an outstanding clinician, scholar, and academic leader with a strong record of support to the Society’s mission and is well deserving of the honor of being named Fellow of the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene.”

Waterman was one of ten inductees in 2023, who were honored at ASTMH’s Annual Meeting in Chicago in October. 

Of her induction, Waterman says “recognition as a Fellow of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene represents a level of professional excellence in tropical medicine, hygiene, global health, and related disciplines.

“I consider it an honor to hold this status in light of the many who preceded (and mentored) me throughout my career, most notably Dr. Alan Magill. I always valued the focus he brought to the mission and vision of ASTMH and military infectious disease medicine and will strive to continue to bring a similar focus from my role as the Chair of Medicine at USU,” she adds. 

Waterman earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from Chicago Medical School. She completed her internship and internal medicine residency, and infectious disease fellowship at the National Capital Consortium.  

Waterman is a respected expert in infectious disease research and policy. She was integral to the creation of the Department of Defense (DoD) Multidrug-Resistant Organism Repository and Surveillance Network at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, and also established the antimicrobial resistance unit at the Global Emerging Infectious Surveillance arm of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Directorate. 

She served as the Infectious Disease Theater Consultant while deployed with the 10th Mountain 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Afghanistan. Waterman led the biodefense and bioeconomy policy effort at the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President, continues to represent the DoD on Combating Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria interagency work, and served as the medical research and development consultant to the Army Surgeon General.

Waterman served as interim Chair of the Department of Medicine at USU beginning in 2022. After leading the department through a successful year of research, education, and clinical accomplishments, she assumed the role of permanent Chair of the Department on September 25, 2023. 

Waterman also serves as a member of the ASTMH Scientific Program Committee in Clinical and Applied Sciences, and she has supported the ASTMH Ben Kean Fellowship Program as a committee member since 2018. Waterman also previously served as president of the Greater Washington Infectious Diseases Society and was former Chief of Medical Residents at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. 

“Dr. Waterman is a gifted scientist, a respected expert in infectious disease research and policy, and a leader in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. She is also an outstanding leader, educator, and department Chair whose contributions to military medicine and the School of Medicine's educational mission are too numerous to list. I'm delighted to see her receive this very well-deserved distinction,” says Dr. Eric Elster, dean of USU’s School of Medicine.