Dr. Elissa Arnold joined the Division of Hospital Medicine in the Department of Medicine as an Instructor in June 2023. She was born and raised in Jefferson City, Missouri. She attended the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO, where she graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Biological Sciences with a minor in Psychology. Dr. Arnold was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and selected as a member of Griffiths Leadership Society for Women. She then received her medical degree from Saint Louis University School of Medicine. During medical school, she was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha and received the Missouri Chapter American College of Physicians Clerkship Student Award, awarded to one student from each medical school for outstanding performance in the clinical clerkship. She held multiple leadership roles and served on various committees throughout her time there, including the Curriculum Committee, which further fueled her interest in medical education.
Dr. Arnold completed her internship and residency at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis prior to joining the division. She has a long-standing interest in education and enjoys teaching and working with medical students and trainees. She was honored to have been selected for the Washington University Teaching Physicians Pathway through which she developed her skills in teaching, curriculum development, and education research. She aided in the development of the Medical ICU Resident curriculum during her time in residency. Dr. Arnold will serve as a Key Clinical Faculty Member for the Internal Medicine Residency Program during the 2023-2024 academic year. Her areas of interests include pulmonary medicine, critical care medicine, inpatient medicine, point of care ultrasound, immunocompromised patient populations, narrative medicine, and end of life care. She worked on several scholarly projects in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine throughout her time in residency. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, exploring the Saint Louis food scene, doing anything artsy, and cheering on the Cardinals and the Blues!