Kerri A. Thom

Dr. Kerri Thom serves as Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health and Department of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, holding the administrative role of Associate Dean for Student Affairs while directing the Office of Student Research and advising medical students through the Office of Student Affairs.

Education:

• M.D. from University of Florida College of Medicine
• Internal Medicine Residency and Infectious Disease Fellowship at University of Maryland Medical Center and Baltimore VA Medical Center
• M.S. in Epidemiology and Clinical Research from University of Maryland School of Medicine

Her research concentrates on infection prevention, antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, and transmission dynamics of multidrug-resistant pathogens—especially Acinetobacter baumannii—in healthcare environments. She develops evidence-based interventions for antimicrobial stewardship and infection control, addressing critical gaps in reducing healthcare-associated infections through clinical epidemiology and translational research.

Analysis of Dr. Thom's publication record reveals sustained focus on healthcare epidemiology, with methodological diversity spanning clinical trials, observational studies, and mathematical modeling. Her work evaluates interventions across varied clinical contexts—from trauma resuscitation to transplant surgery—emphasizing practical strategies to combat multidrug-resistant organism transmission and antibiotic resistance.

Dr. Thom actively mentors medical students through curriculum development and research supervision via the Office of Student Research. She has secured significant competitive funding from NIH, CDC, and AHRQ for projects targeting antibiotic resistance transmission and infection prevention.

Selected Grants:

• CDC: "Transmission of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria from Patient-to-Patient in Healthcare Setting and the Impact of Contact Precautions" (PI, 9/2018-9/2019)
• CDC: "Epicenters for the Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections" (Co-Investigator, 9/2018-9/2020)
• AHRQ: "Removing barriers to hand hygiene and glove compliance: evaluation of two novel, time-efficient interventions" (PI, 8/2015-5/2019)
• CDC: "Epicenters for the Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) Cycle II" (Investigator, 9/2015-9/2018)
• ARLG: "ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in solid organ transplant recipients" (Investigator, 7/2016-7/2018)
• CDC: "Impact of Post-antibiotic Prescription Review on Antibiotic Use and Resistance" (Co-PI, 9/2013-12/2016)
• NIH K23: "Epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii: An Emerging Nosocomial Pathogen" (9/2010-12/2016)

As a key contributor to the CDC Epicenters program, Dr. Thom collaborates with national researchers on healthcare-associated infection prevention while leading student research initiatives that cultivate future clinician-scientists in infectious disease epidemiology.