John A. Sellick, Jr DO, MS

John Sellick, Jr

John A. Sellick, Jr
DO, MS

Professor

Department of Medicine

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences


Specialty/Research Focus

Infectious Disease; Infectious Diseases; Internal Medicine

Contact Information
VA Western New York Healthcare System
Research (151)
3495 Bailey Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14215
Phone: (716) 862-8758
Fax: (716) 862-6526
jsellick@buffalo.edu


Patient Care

This faculty member is affiliated with UBMD, practicing physicians who are also professors in the Jacobs School.

View this physician on UBMD


Professional Summary:

My primary patient care activites involve hospitalized patients at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VA) in Buffalo.

I also have an outpatient clinic at UB’s Student Health Center on the South Campus where I see students for general ambulatory infectious diseases such as skin infections, positive tuberculosis skin tests, etc. I also see students before they travel internationally for care such as immunizations and risk avoidance education and, if needed, for post-travel care and follow-up.

I teach first- and second-year medical students in lectures and small group sessions, primarily in the microbiology, respiration, musculoskeletal and reproductive modules. I also teach third- and fourth-year medical students, residents, and fellows on the infectious diseases and internal medicine services at the VA.

In addition to patient care and teaching, I have significant roles related to infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship at two of Buffalo’s major health care systems, and I serve as Hospital Epidemiologist for both. My work includes pandemic and bioterrorism planning activities for these hospital systems as well as the University at Buffalo. These responsibilities require that I collaborate with hospital infection control teams, pharmacists, microbiologists and administrators (particularly the offices of quality management, risk management and patient safety) and with UB’s Student Affairs team. I also interact frequently with local health department staff.

Our infection control efforts have been based on the epidemiologic paradigm of hypothesis development, data collection and critical interpretation of the data followed by a rational and directed action plan. This is done for routine infection prevention, outbreak and cluster investigation, healthcare worker safety and antimicrobial stewardship.

Education and Training:

  • Fellowship, Infectious Diseases, University at Buffalo (1987)
  • Residency, Internal Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (1985)
  • DO, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (1982)
  • MS, Microbiology, University of Notre Dame (1978)
  • BS, University of Notre Dame (1976)

Employment:

  • Professor, Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2018-present)
  • Section Chief, Infectious Diseases, Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System (2018-present)
  • Hospital Epidemiologist, Kaleida Health (1998-present)
  • Hospital Epidemiologist, Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System (1994-present)
  • Associate Professor, Medicine, University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (1995–2018)
  • Hospital Epidemiologst, Buffalo General Hospital (1988–1998)

Awards and Honors:

  • Dean‘s Award, JSMBS (2020)
  • Alpha Omega Alpha Distinguished Lecturer, JSMBS (2015)
  • Chapter Laureate Award, NYACP (2014)

Research Expertise:

  • Epidemiology
  • Infection prevention: outbreak/cluster investigation, antimicrobial stewardship
  • Pandemic and bioterrorism planning

Grants and Sponsored Research:

  • Minimizing the Infection Contamination Areas for Healthcare Workers in Wearing Gowns via a Behavioral Experiment and Computational Models.
    University at Buffalo IMPACT
    Role: Co-Investigator

Journal Articles:

See all (34 more)

Abstracts:

  • Clark CM, White A, Sellick J, Mergenhagen, KA. (2018) Evaluation of antibiotic prescribing practices for geriatric patients in the outpatient setting in a Veteran Affairs hospital: identification of stewardship targets. Open Forum Infect Dis, (Nov)
  • Mergenhagen KA, Sellick J, White A, Clark CM, Ott MC. (2018) Identification of Antimicrobial Stewardship Targets in the Outpatient Setting. Open Forum Infect Dis, (Nov)

Professional Memberships:

  • American College of Physicians; Fellow 1993 (1990–present)
  • Infectious Diseases Society of America; Fellow 2001 (1987–present)
  • Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America; Fellow 2004 (1987–present)
  • American Society for Microbiology (1978–present)

Presentations:

  • "Lack of evidence of transmission of bloodborne viruses by improperly reprocessed fiberoptic endoscopes." 6th Decennial International Conference on Healthcare Associated Infections (2020)
  • "Discovering Outpatient Stewardship Targets: An Evaluation of Community Acquired Pneumonia in the Outpatient Setting." IDWeek 2018; IDSA/SHEA/PIDS/HIVMA (2018)
  • "Evaluation of Antibiotic Prescribing Practices for Geriatric Patients in the Outpatient Setting in a Veterans Affairs Hospital: Identification of Stewardship Targets." IDWeek 2018; IDSA/SHEA/PIDS/HIVMA (2018)
  • "Identification of Antimicrobial Stewardship Targets in the Outpatient Setting." IDWeek 2018; IDSA/SHEA/PIDS/HIVMA (2018)
  • "Impact of Mental Illness on Outcomes of Outpatients with Community Acquired Pneumonia" IDWeek 2018; IDSA/SHEA/PIDS/HIVMA (2018)
  • "Temporal Trends of Inpatient C. difficile Infections within the Veterans Affairs Hospitals: A Bioinformatics Analysis of Nationwide Metadata from the Past Decade." IDWeek 2018; IDSA/SHEA/PIDS/HIVMA (2018)
  • "Obesity contributes to failure of outpatient treatment of skin and soft tissue infections." IDWeek 2016; IDSA/SHEA/PIDS/HIVMA (2016)
  • "Gown and Glove Use to Prevent the Spread of MRSA in VA Community Living Centers (CLCs)." IDWeek 2015; IDSA/SHEA/PIDS/HIVMA (2015)
  • "Impact of antimicrobial stewardship on outcomes in hospitalized veterans with pneumonia." IDWeek 2015; iDSA/SHEA/PIDS/HIVMA (2015)
  • "The impact of stewardship on antimicrobial use and resistance rates at a VA medical center." IDWeek 2015; IDSA/SHEA/PIDS/HIVMA (2015)
  • "An outbreak of invasive Group A Streptococcus infections in veterans treated with skin substitute grafts at a podiatry clinic" ID Week 2012; IDSA/SHEA/PIDS/HIVMA (2012)
  • "Effect of hypochlorite containing cleaners on occurrence of nosocomial Clostridium difficile infection in acute care patients" 5th Decennial International Conference on Healthcare–Associated Infections; CDC (2010)
  • "Failure of the rate of nosocomial MRSA infections to decline with decreasing MRSA transmissions during universal screening" 5th Decennial International Conference on Healthcare–Associated Infections; CDC (2010)
  • "Control of Nosocomial Legionellosis: Tailoring the Control Method to the Facility" 4th Decennial International Conference on Nosocomial and Healthcare– Associated Infections; CDC (2000)
  • "Epidemiology of Penicillin Resistant Pneumococci (PRP) in Erie County, New York" Eighth Annual Meeting of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America; SHEA (1998)
  • "Tuberculosis (TB) Exposure of Patients and Healthcare Workers (HCW) by an Infected Healthcare Worker" Eighth Annual Meeting of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America; SHEA (1998)
  • "Value of Pre-Operative Screening for Staphylococci and Use of Broad – spectrum Antimicrobial Prophylaxis in Open Heart Surgery Patients in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center" Eighth Annual Meeting of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America; SHEA (1998)
  • "“Benchmarking” Nosocomial Infection (NI) Incidence Density Rates against the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System (NNIS) Using Statistical Process Control (SPC) Charts" Seventh Annual Meeting of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America; SHEA (1997)
  • "A Pilot Isoniazid Preventive Therapy Program at a University Student Health Center" Sixth Annual Meeting of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America; SHEA (1996)
  • "Follow – up Evaluation of a Voluntary Antibiotic Streamlining Program: Apparent Educational Effect and Cost Savings" Sixth Annual Meeting of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America; SHEA (1996)
  • "Surveillance for Surgical Site Infections in Ambulatory Surgery Patients" Fifth Annual Meeting of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America; SHEA (1995)
  • "Evaluation of a Voluntary Antibiotic Streamlining (SL) Program Using Statistical Process Control (SPC) Charts" Infectious Diseases Society of America 32nd Annual Meeting; IDSA (1994)
  • "Genomic DNA Analysis of Legionella pneumophila Serogroup 3 (Lp3) Strains Associated with Nosocomial Pneumonia (NP) Using Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE)" Infectious Diseases Society of America 32nd Annual Meeting; IDSA (1994)
  • "Reduced costs and length of stay with decreased surgical wound infection rates following coronary artery bypass graft surgery" Third Annual Meeting of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America; SHEA (1993)
  • "Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus adds to the number of S. aureus nosocomial infections" Second Annual Meeting of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America; SHEA (1992)
  • "Nosocomial Legionella pneumophila pneumonia in a hospital with an instantaneous hot water heater" 4th International Symposium on Legionella; American Society for Microbiology (1992)
  • "Utility of number of comorbidities and APACHE II scores in assessing outcome and risk of nosocomial infections in medical intensive care unit patients" Second Annual Meeting of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America; SHEA (1992)
  • "Xanthomonas maltophilia: Risk factors for acquisition in medical intensive care unit patients" Second Annual Meeting of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America; SHEA (1992)
  • "Needlestick surveillance after institution of body substance isolation" 3rd Decennial International Conference on Nosocomial Infections; CDC (1990)
  • "Risk factors for deep wound infections following open heart surgery" 3rd Decennial International Conference on Nosocomial Infections; CDC (1990)
  • "Spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a university hospital system" 3rd Decennial International Conference on Nosocomial Infections; CDC (1990)
See all (21 more)

Service Activities:

  • Ad Hoc Committee on Promotions to Clinical Ranks (2019–2022)
  • Open Forum Infectious Diseases (IDSA); Reviewer (2018–present)
  • Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, Journal Club Committee; Reviewer (2017–present)
  • American Journal of Infection Control; Reviewer (2014–present)
  • Research & Development Committee, VAWNYHS; Chair (2013–present)
  • Faculty Council President Elect (2011-12); President (2012–2013)
  • NYACP, Buffalo District; Councilor (2012–2015)
  • Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, Conflict of Interest Review Committee; Member (2011–2013)
  • Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, CME Committee/Subcommittee; Member (2009–2013)
  • NYACP, Buffalo District; President (2009–2012)
  • Faculty Council, Standing Committee on Admission Policy; Chair (2008–2014)
  • Faculty Council; Secretary (2008–2010)
  • Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology (SHEA); Editorial Board Member (2007–present)
  • Pandemic Influenza Plan Workgroup (UB); Member (2006–present)
  • Faculty Council, Steering Committee; Member (2005–2010)
  • Faculty Council; Member (2004–2008)
  • SARS Task Force (UB); Member (2003–2004)
  • Antibiotic Subcommittee, Kaleida Health; Chair (2003–present)
  • Medication Use Committee (P&T), VAWNYHS; Member (2003–present)
  • Tissue Subcommittee, UNYTS; Member (2000–present)
  • Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, Publications Committee; Chair (1996–2002)
  • Infection Control Committee, VAWNYHS; Chair (1995–present)
  • Antibiotic Subcommittee, Kaleida Health (BGH 1994-8); Member (1994–2003)
  • Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, Nominations Committee; Chair (1994)
  • Infection Control Committee, Kaleida Health (BGH 1989-98); Chair (1989–present)
  • JAMA; Reviewer
  • Annals of Internal Medicine (ACP); Reviewer
  • Clinical Infectious Diseases (IDSA); Reviewer
  • Emerging Infectious Diseases (CDC); Reviewer

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Contact Information

VA Western New York Healthcare System
Research (151)
3495 Bailey Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14215
Phone: (716) 862-8758
Fax: (716) 862-6526
jsellick@buffalo.edu

This faculty member is affiliated with UBMD, practicing physicians who are also professors in the Jacobs School.

View this physician on UBMD