April McDougal

April McDougal is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). She holds dual roles as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Associate Director of the Division of Infection Control and Healthcare Epidemiology. Her expertise spans infectious disease management, hospital epidemiology, and pandemic response strategies.

Education and Training:

• DO, University of North Texas Health Science Center (2015)
• Internal Medicine Residency, Loyola University Medical Center (2018)
• Infectious Diseases Fellowship, Tulane University School of Medicine (2020)
• Tropical Medicine Certification, Tulane University School of Public Health (2020)

Research Interests: Dr. McDougal focuses on emerging pathogens, healthcare-associated infections, and pandemic preparedness. Her work emphasizes infection control strategies in high-risk settings, including hospitals and correctional facilities. Key areas include Candida auris surveillance, antimicrobial resistance, and optimizing diagnostic tools for immunocompromised patients.

Key Contributions:

• Lead investigator in outbreaks of Candida auris and SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare settings
• Developed N95 respirator decontamination programs during the pandemic
• Evaluated convalescent plasma efficacy in immunosuppressed populations

Awards:

• 2019–2020 Fellow of the Year (Tulane University) for pandemic response leadership

Grants and Teams: Active in UTMB’s Infection Control division, collaborating with public health agencies on outbreak investigations. Engaged in multidisciplinary teams addressing tropical medicine and antimicrobial stewardship.