Dawd Siraj, MD

Dawd Siraj, MD, is a UW Health infectious disease doctor and directs the UW Health Travel Medicine Clinic. He is also a professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin (UW) School of Medicine and Public Health. He also directs the UW Health Travel Clinic and the university’s Global Health Pathway Program.

Dr. Siraj treats infectious diseases, hepatitis and HIV/AIDs. As a tropical disease and travel medicine expert, he advises travelers about vaccines and travel precautions. He also treats people who fall ill while traveling.

Dr. Siraj leads international research on infectious diseases in developing countries. He studies antibiotic resistance in Rwanda and Ethiopia. He encourages standardized antibiotic use and tools to change health care delivery. As an Ethiopian, he understands the toll of infectious disease and opened Ethiopia’s first free HIV clinic.

In addition to clinical care, Dr. Siraj trains residents and fellows at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. He collaborates with international leaders and holds national and global awards for academic leadership and medical services, including directing an HIV Inmate Clinic.

In his free time, Dr. Siraj rides his bike 100 miles a week. He joins bike-riding fundraisers and is also interested in astronomy.

Patient care is about empathy and understanding the patient’s challenges. Hope is the most important driver for me when I treat patients.