JOHN G. BARTLETT, MD, is a dedicated physician, researcher, and care provider who has shaped
the discipline of infectious diseases with his trademark humor and compassion for more than 40 years. Dr. Bartlett is professor of medicine, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, and chief of the AIDS service at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Known for both his tremendous enthusiasm and his warm, engaging personality, Dr. Bartlett has devoted his life and professional career to fostering the ID field nationally and internationally.

His four decades of service began upon graduating cum laude from Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, N.Y., in 1963. After interrupting his internal medicine residency in 1965 to serve two years as a U.S. Army captain, Dr. Bartlett resumed his medical training and completed a two-year fellowship in infectious diseases at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine in 1970. Over the next decade, he held faculty appointments at UCLA and Tufts University School of Medicine and made significant contributions to the study of C. difficileassociated colitis, anaerobic infections, pneumonia, and the pathogenesis of intra-abdominal sepsis with emphasis on capsular polysaccharide of B. fragilis.

Shortly after accepting his current position as chief of infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins in 1980, Dr. Bartlett turned his attention to the emerging AIDS epidemic. This decision would shape the next 25 years of his career and lead to his reputation as one of the foremost authorities on the management of HIV infection. He initiated the Hopkins HIV Care Program in 1983— a groundbreaking program he continues to direct and which now serves more than 3,500 patients with HIV. In 1994, he authored Medical Management of HIV Infection, a highly regarded text that has been translated into numerous languages and is now in its 10th edition. He has also served as a leader in issues related to the financing of HIV care. In 1998, Dr. Bartlett created a coalition of HIV clinical programs responding to the introduction of managed care into Medicaid. He also hosted a national conference to educate HIV providers on ways to adapt their clinical and fiscal programs to a managed care model. With a stunning knack for collapsing reams of information into clinical pearls, Dr. Bartlett is a renowned teacher and a prolific writer. His lectures combine brilliant insights with wit and humor drawn from personal experiences.

Ever eager to share the knowledge he has gleaned from his work, Dr. Bartlett has authored or coauthored 61 editions of 13 books, 300 chapters, and more than 500 published articles. He currently serves on 16 editorial boards and consults for numerous national and international organizations involved in infectious diseases research and care. He has developed federal guidelines for HIV prevention and antiretroviral therapy and is recognized as a leading authority on bioterrorism. Despite maintaining a grueling work schedule, Dr. Bartlett always takes time to personally connect with his patients, residents, fellows, and faculty. Colleagues note that at the bedside, he exudes a warmth with patients that evokes a smile even in the most desperate situations. He is famous for choosing to be on clinical service at Christmas year after year, at which time he would don a Santa suit and dispense presents and good cheer to patients and staff.

Dr. Bartlett has received numerous honors and awards throughout his career, including many visiting professorships and the Hero in Medicine Award from the International Association of
Physicians in AIDS Care. One of his well-known HIV-related books, A Guide to Living with HIV Infection, received the Best Medical Book Award from the Association of Medical Writers of
America. He also recived this year’s Maxwell Finalnd Award from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Active in numerous IDSA and HIVMA roles over the years, he served as
Society president in 1999 and presented the Kass Lecture at the 2002 Annual Meeting.