This sentiment describes no one better than Dr. Roy M. Gulick, or “Trip,” as everyone who knows him affectionately calls him. In his day-to-day work life, Dr. Gulick is the Rochelle Belfer Professor in Medicine, Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, and Associate Dean for Clinical Research at Weill Cornell Medicine, and an Attending Physician at the New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.
Known not only for his expertise in all things infectious diseases but also for his open demeanor and quick smile, Trip celebrated a special milestone in his OMI journey this September. The course director was present for the 20th time this week! Trip’s tremendous commitment to our programs and to educating physicians becomes clear when one looks more closely at his time spent with the Open Medical Institute. Trip first took part in the seminar on HIV Infection and AIDS as a faculty member in 2000. This was quickly followed by almost yearly attendance at the Infectious Diseases courses from 2005 onwards, except for a Global Health course that focused on pandemics in 2017. 661 fellows from 54 countries were trained by Trip during his time at Schloss Arenberg.
Now, 26 years after his first time at Schloss Arenberg, the expert can proudly call himself a real change-maker and long-time OMI supporter. His efforts have not only shaped the development of the infectious diseases seminar over the years but also the professional careers of countless fellows and their patients’ lives. One of the aspects that participants remember the most from the infectious disease courses is the immense passion that Trip has for his field and how he energetically shares his knowledge with those around him.
In a moving statement, Trip remarks upon the differences between his first participation in 2000 and this week’s course: “Over the last 26 years, the seminar in Infectious Diseases has evolved in several ways. As a field, infectious diseases has become more complicated with new diagnostic tools, advanced treatment and prevention strategies, new outbreaks like Ebola and Hantavirus, and even novel infectious diseases like COVID-19. We have adapted and updated the seminar over time to include the latest cutting-edge information for the fellows. The participants themselves have changed: over time, they have become increasingly diverse, expanding beyond Eastern Europe and Central Asia to different areas of the world, including Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. They have also become more outgoing and more willing to ask questions as well as challenge the faculty and each other. This leads to sophisticated and complex discussions.”
Because the field of infectious diseases changes so rapidly, staying up to date is paramount, which is why the OMI seminar is part of a three-year curriculum with changing topics. The course took place from September 6 to 12, 2026, and drew 318 applications, out of which 32 fellows from 26 countries were selected.
The seminar was led by course director Dr. Trip Gulick and new co-course director Dr. Guenter Weiss from the Medical University of Innsbruck. We are thrilled that Dr. Weiss, who is already the co-course director for the Internal Medicine seminar, took up the same role for the Infectious Diseases course. With this change, the Medical University of Innsbruck also becomes our partner for this speciality. The remainder of the faculty cohort was made up of seven other specialists. From Weill Cornell Medicine, Dr. Christopher Brown, Dr. Jeffrey Kubiak, Dr. Heidi Torres, and Dr. Tony Li-Geng joined the seminar. From the Medical University of Innsbruck, Dr. Andrea Schroll, Dr. Wolfram Mayr, as well as Dr. Philipp Grubwieser were present.
The course covered a variety of diseases, including the treatment and prevention of HIV, malaria, tick-borne illnesses, tuberculosis, and viral respiratory infections, as well as a variety of related topics and strategies, including new diagnostic tests, clinical trials, infection control, and travel medicine counseling. In addition, each fellow presented and discussed an interesting case from their own institution, including cases of Congo-Crimean fever, echinococcosis, listeriosis, meningococcemia, and tuberculosis.
This week we welcomed Botswana’s first and only pediatric infectious disease specialist, Dr. Kagiso Mochankana. He was with us for the third time this week and described the role that the OMI played in building his career:
“I first used the OMI’s online resources as a general pediatrician, then attended the pediatric infectious diseases seminar while training as a fellow, and later joined the public health course when my responsibilities had started to extend into policy and technical work. The knowledge I learn through the OMI does not stay with me alone. I apply it to my clinical care, my teaching, and the wider infectious diseases work I am involved in in Botswana. That has been the main value of the program for me.”
Rosa Villaseñor Martinez, MD
OMI fellow from Mexico
“The first lecture by Dr. Trip Gulick on the history of HIV treatment, spanning the past, the present, and the future, was fascinating. He made the subject very simple and easy to understand. The expert also greatly inspired me, as he actively contributes to HIV clinical guidelines worldwide.”
Trang Mai Thuy Pham, MD
OMI fellow from Vietnam
“The most meaningful moment for me was when Dr. Jeffrey Kubiak helped me think through a problem that we are currently facing in our laboratory. Sometimes, searching through journals and other resources may not be enough. Speaking to an experienced expert who can guide you in the right direction can make such a big difference. I hope to share my knowledge with my team back home and encourage more discussion and collaboration.”
Grigory Vasiliev, MD, PhD
OMI fellow from Estonia
“I learned a lot, not only from the excellent lectures but also from in-depth discussions, interesting clinical cases, and insightful conversations with colleagues from different countries. The networking opportunities were one of the best aspects of the seminar: You learned throughout and after the lectures, during meals, and even over coffee breaks.”
