Dr. Emily Spivak Receives SHEA Antibiotic Stewardship Scholarship Award
Dr. Emily Spivak Receives SHEA Antibiotic Stewardship Scholarship Award
Nov 12, 2025
Emily Spivak, MD, MHS, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, received the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Antibiotic Scholarship Stewardship Award at IDWeek 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. This prestigious honor recognizes individuals whose work has significantly advanced research and clinical practice in antimicrobial stewardship.
As Medical Director of Antimicrobial Stewardship at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System and University of Utah Health, Dr. Spivak has implemented infectious diseases guidelines, decision support tools, and feedback programs that reach over 1,000 inpatient beds, reducing broad-spectrum antibiotic use while improving patient outcomes and efficiency.
Nationally, she contributes to antibiotic stewardship leadership and initiatives through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and SHEA. She has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications spanning diagnostic stewardship, antibiotic duration, rapid diagnostics, and the environmental impact of antibiotic overuse.
Dr. Spivak is also a dedicated mentor recognized with the Department of Medicine’s Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award for her ability to make complex stewardship principles accessible and actionable. As Dr. Valerie Vaughn wrote in her nomination, “Dr. Spivak is, quite simply, the most effective stewardship leader I know. Her vision is bold, her methods sound, and her impact already profound.”
The Department of Internal Medicine congratulates Dr. Spivak on this national recognition of her transformative leadership in antimicrobial stewardship.