Zanthia Wiley, MD
Infectious Disease Doctor and Researcher,
Emory University
“What I really want to do moving forward is to be a mentor to as many young people that I possibly can to remind them of how wonderful they are.”
About Zanthia Wiley, MD
STEM Topics Related to Her Work: Microbiology, Clinical Research, Infectious Diseases
How She Makes The World A Better Place Through STEM: I am dedicated to increasing the pathway of underrepresented persons in the field of medicine and infectious diseases through mentorship.
Hobbies: Travel, Reading, Home Decor
Education: MD and BS, University of Alabama
Community Care
Dr. Zanthia Wiley has one of the toughest science jobs in the world.
As an infectious disease doctor and researcher at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, GA, she spent the first part of this decade on the front lines treating adults and children with COVID. She had a front-row seat to see who was coming in how many times with what severity, and began to think about patterns. How come minority populations were dying at twice the rate of the general population? Where did they live? What were their habits? What factors seemed to lead to them getting re-infected? Research and treatment, research and treatment.
Once the COVID vaccines were developed, she began advocating. Advocating for all qualified individuals to get the vaccine to help prevent the further spread. Advocating against vaccine myths. Advocating for community-based vaccine delivery.
Dr. Wiley recognized, long before many others did, that the key to containing infectious diseases like COVID is community. It’s not enough to treat one patient at a time – to win this battle, we had to treat populations.
Recently, she’s been focused on Long COVID – the collection of symptoms that persist in patients much longer than the disease itself. Once again, Dr. Wiley is looking into patterns: what populations are experiencing Long COVID? How can we better predict who will continue to show long-term symptoms? Research and treatment, research and treatment.
As a Black woman growing up in lower Alabama, Dr. Wiley didn’t see many people who look like her in the science professions. During a summer job in a small-town hospital, young Zanthia saw a Black doctor from Atlanta. She had never seen a Black doctor. Merely seeing a doctor who was Black made her realize that she, too, could have a career in medicine, and that set her on a path to where she is today.
Dr. Wiley believes strongly in community; in engagement; in family. She focuses those beliefs on the the next generation of doctors and scientists – especially those in underrepresented communities. She herself serves as a mentor to show children from these communities that they, too, can succeed in the sciences.
