Barry Dashefsky, MD, at ID Care
Barry Dashefsky, Pediatric Infectious Disease Doctor
Infectious disease physician expertise
- Board certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases by the American Board of Pediatrics
- Specializing in the treatment of all infectious diseases, with a special interest in pediatrics
Education
- Fellowship: Boston University School of Medicine
- Chief Residency: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
- Residency: Tufts University School of Medicine
- Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
- Undergraduate: Harvard College
Hospital Affiliations
- Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, NJ
- Overlook Medical Center, Summit, NJ
- University Hospital, Newark, NJ
- Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, NJ
Why I’m an infectious disease specialist
“While serving as Chief Resident in Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (1978-1979) I had the great good fortune of being mentored by Dr. Ellen Wald (who would later become one of the leading and charismatic luminaries in the just then emerging subspecialty of Pediatric Infectious Diseases). It was my exposure to her and the example of her apparently very exciting, stimulating, challenging, gratifying and impactful professional activities that informed my decision to abandon my prior plan to become a Pediatric Gastroenterologist and pursue a similar career in academic Pediatric ID.
For more than 40 years, I have enjoyed the opportunities it has afforded me to be engaged in providing clinical care and consultation for the broad range of infections that patients and families experience, to foster preventive health care and public health, participate in clinical investigation and help to educate and train the next generation of medical providers. In the course of my career I’ve been privileged to witness the control (and in some cases, the eradication) of some infectious agents previously commonly responsible for widespread severely debilitating disease and death.”
Approach to infectious disease care
I am extremely thorough and comprehensive in evaluating patients, obtaining and pre-reviewing all available outside records and laboratory or imaging reports before appointments. My visits typically last 60–90 minutes to allow for a complete history, examination, and adequate time to discuss my assessment, recommendations and answer questions. After each visit, I write a detailed office note that I send to referring and primary care medical providers.
Although I work part-time (one half-day per week), I make myself available to patients and referring providers throughout the week by telephone and invite them to access me as needed, either directly or through the nursing assistant who works with me and helps coordinate care and communication.
My pediatric focus includes the full array of infections affecting hospitalized and ambulatory patients, from newborns and infants to children, adolescents, and young adults. Specific areas of focus include but are not limited to respiratory, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, musculoskeletal, neurological, and congenital infections. I also manage pediatric HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, tick-borne infections and vaccine-preventable infections, with a strong emphasis on antibiotics and antibiotic stewardship.
More about Dr. Barry Dashefsky, infectious disease doctor
Dr. Barry Dashefsky grew up, was educated and completed his medical training in the Greater Boston area, and he still regards himself as a (wandering) Bostonian. He remains an unapologetic fan of all things Boston, including the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins, which is often a lonely and unpopular space to inhabit in Jersey.
He believes his greatest strengths are his 40+ years of professional experience and his thorough, conscientious and empathic care. Dr. Dashefsky says his strengths in interacting with patients is being accessible, committed to educating and informing them, and being a good communicator. What he likes most about his work is interacting with children and parents in the context of evaluating and clarifying their often complex medical problems that have often eluded diagnosis or been misdiagnosed. He finds great purpose in educating patients about their infectious issues and appropriate management, or, when their symptoms are not due to an infection, guiding them to the right provider for further care, often able to reassure families and help allay their fears.
Leadership, Memberships & Research
Memberships
- Fellow, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
- Fellow, American Academy of Pediatrics
Awards & Honors
Honors
- Professor Emeritus, Pediatrics (Pediatric Infectious Diseases), Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School
- Best Doctors in America 2005 – 2015
- Golden Apple Nominee, New Jersey Medical School – 2009, 2010, 2015
Life-changing results speak for themselves
“I drive three hours each way to see my ID Care physician.”