Bio


Dr. Renault has devoted her career to caring for vulnerable patient populations, both domestically and overseas. She completed her medical school and residency training at the University of Chicago, caring for underserved patients on Chicago's South Side, followed by a Chief Resident year at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, the public hospital serving the uninsured in Chicago. She began her career in global health as an Infectious Diseases fellow at Stanford, validating low-cost HIV diagnostics in Burkina Faso, and providing clinical service and teaching in India and Zimbabwe as a fellow, and later in Thailand, Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya as one of our Infectious Diseases faculty. Her clinical work is focused on caring for our veteran population, working to empower veterans to engage in their care, often in the setting of significant mental illness.

Dr. Renault is most passionate about medical education and program development to combat global antimicrobial resistance through antimicrobial stewardship, to create opportunities for the Internal Medicine residents centering on caring for vulnerable patient populations, and to develop impactful and sustainable programs in collaboration with our low- and middle-income partners for our Center for Innovation in Global Health. She served as Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program for 4 years prior to transitioning to her current role as Program Lead for Global Health, for which she leads the Global Health Track for the Internal Medicine residency program and develops global health initiatives for the Department of Medicine. She co-founded and has been director of the Stanford 2-week intensive global health course since its inception in 2012, she has structured trainee and faculty rotations based on evolving needs of our partner sites in Uganda, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, she is the faculty lead for the ID/antimicrobial stewardship partnership between Stanford and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, and she is leading Stanford's Internal Medicine virtual case-based education initiative to support our newest medical school partner in Negele Arsi, Ethiopia.

Dr. Renault strives to augment Stanford's contributions and support for underserved patient populations in the United States. She established resident rotations in Shiprock, New Mexico and Chinle, Arizona through the Indian Health Service, and she is Faculty Advisor for the Internal Medicine Health Equity, Advocacy and Research concentration in the residency program. She also aspires to improve resources for women physicians. In 2016, Dr. Renault established the GME Women in Medicine Leadership Council, with the intention of creating community and encouraging conversations about professional and personal life decisions as women in the field of medicine. She is passionate about mentoring through sharing personal experiences, creating an environment that encourages reflection, and building skills to address challenges unique to women in medicine.

In 2022, in recognition of her passion for medical education and her success in program development, Dr. Renault was asked to join the leadership at Palo Alto Veterans Health Care System as Deputy Associate Chief of Staff for Education. In this role, she works with rotation directors to optimize their respective rotations to offer robust educational opportunities for trainees across specialties who are rotating at the Palo Alto VA.

Academic Appointments


Administrative Appointments


  • Associate Program Director, Stanford University Internal Medicine Residency Program (2010 - 2014)
  • Co-Founder and Co-Director, Palo Alto Veterans Health Care System Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (2010 - Present)
  • Co-Founder and Director, Stanford Intensive Global Health Course (2012 - Present)
  • Program Lead for Global Health, Stanford University Internal Medicine Residency Program (2014 - Present)
  • Co-Director, Underserved/Global Health Pathway of Distinction, Stanford University Internal Medicine Residency Program (2015 - Present)
  • Faculty Fellow, Center for Innovation in Global Health (2015 - Present)
  • Founder and Director, Stanford Graduate Medical Education (GME) Women In Medicine Leadership Council (2016 - Present)
  • Faculty Advisor, Stanford Internal Medicine Program for Health Equity, Advocacy and Research (Stanford IM HEARs) (2020 - Present)
  • Deputy Associate Chief of Staff for Education, Palo Alto Veterans Health Care System (2022 - Present)

Honors & Awards


  • High Honors, Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University (1992)
  • Phi Beta Kappa, Vanderbilt University (1992)
  • Alpha Omega Alpha, The University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine (1999)
  • Jack Remington, MD Infectious Diseases Fellow's Award for Clinical Excellence, Stanford University School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases (2005)
  • Timothy F. Beckett Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching by a Fellow, Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine Residency Program (2005)
  • Kenneth L. Vosti, MD Infectious Diseases Faculty Teaching Award, Stanford University School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases (2009, 2010, 2015)
  • Infectious Diseases Division Teaching Award, Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine (2010, 2015)
  • David A. Rytand Clinical Teaching Award, Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine Residency Program (2011, 2016, 2017)
  • Chief Residents' Award for Outstanding Contribution to Resident Education, Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine Residency Program (2019)
  • Faculty Women’s Forum Allyship Award, Stanford University Office of Faculty Development, Diversity and Engagement (2021)
  • Outstanding Clinical Faculty Mentorship Award for Subspecialty Consult Rotations, Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine Residency Program (2023)
  • Elected as Fellow of IDSA (FIDSA), Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) (2023)

Professional Education


  • BA, Vanderbilt University, Psychology (1992)
  • MD, The University of Chicago, Medicine (2000)
  • Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, Gorgas Memorial Institute (Lima, Peru), Tropical Medicine (DTM&H) (2007)
  • Certificate of Knowledge, Tropical Medicine and Travelers' Health, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) (2008)

Community and International Work


  • Clinical service and/or teaching in India, Zimbabwe, Thailand, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Sri Lanka

    Topic

    Clinical service and teaching

    Partnering Organization(s)

    Stanford/Yale Global Health Scholars Program, Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH)

    Ongoing Project

    Yes

    Opportunities for Student Involvement

    No

  • Featured speaker for a course on low-cost HIV diagnostic testing - July 2006, Harare, Zimbabwe

    Location

    International

    Ongoing Project

    No

    Opportunities for Student Involvement

    No

  • Comparison of Guava EasyCD4 Versus BD FACSCount for CD4+ T Lymphocyte Enumeration, Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso

    Topic

    Validation of low-cost CD4+ T lymphocyte enumeration technology

    Partnering Organization(s)

    AIDS Empowerment and Treatment International (AIDSETI)

    Populations Served

    HIV-infected adults and children

    Location

    International

    Ongoing Project

    No

    Opportunities for Student Involvement

    No

All Publications


  • Clinical reasoning for performance of transesophageal echocardiography in veterans with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE Woods, E. C., Nakasone, T. S., Renault, C. A. 2023; 3 (1): e221

    Abstract

    This study examined physicians' reasoning about obtaining transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in cases of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB). In 221 cases of SAB over 5 years, the most common reasons for not performing TEE were clinical response to antibiotics, negative TTE results, and the expectation that TEE would not change management.

    View details for DOI 10.1017/ash.2023.493

    View details for PubMedID 38156239

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC10753505

  • Acute Kidney Injury Due to Systemic Absorption of Antibiotics Impregnated in a Bone Cement Spacer: An Underrecognized Complication of a Common Intervention INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN CLINICAL PRACTICE Nakasone, T. S., Multani, A., Chary, A., Renault, C. A., Winslow, D. L. 2018; 26 (5): 291–93
  • A high value care curriculum for interns: a description of curricular design, implementation and housestaff feedback POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL JOURNAL Hom, J., Kumar, A., Evans, K. H., Svec, D., Richman, I., Fang, D., Smeraglio, A., Holubar, M., Johnson, T., Shah, N., Renault, C., Ahuja, N., Witteles, R., Harman, S., Shieh, L. 2017; 93 (1106): 725–29
  • A high value care curriculum for interns: a description of curricular design, implementation and housestaff feedback. Postgraduate medical journal Hom, J. n., Kumar, A. n., Evans, K. H., Svec, D. n., Richman, I. n., Fang, D. n., Smeraglio, A. n., Holubar, M. n., Johnson, T. n., Shah, N. n., Renault, C. n., Ahuja, N. n., Witteles, R. n., Harman, S. n., Shieh, L. n. 2017

    Abstract

    Most residency programmes do not have a formal high value care curriculum. Our goal was to design and implement a multidisciplinary high value care curriculum specifically targeted at interns.Our curriculum was designed with multidisciplinary input from attendings, fellows and residents at Stanford. Curricular topics were inspired by the American Board of Internal Medicine's Choosing Wisely campaign, Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine, American College of Physicians and Society of Hospital Medicine. Our topics were as follows: introduction to value-based care; telemetry utilisation; lab ordering; optimal approach to thrombophilia work-ups and fresh frozen plasma use; optimal approach to palliative care referrals; antibiotic stewardship; and optimal approach to imaging for low back pain. Our curriculum was implemented at the Stanford Internal Medicine residency programme over the course of two academic years (2014 and 2015), during which 100 interns participated in our high value care curriculum. After each high value care session, interns were offered the opportunity to complete surveys regarding feedback on the curriculum, self-reported improvements in knowledge, skills and attitudinal module objectives, and quiz-based knowledge assessments.The overall survey response rate was 67.1%. Overall, the material was rated as highly useful on a 5-point Likert scale (mean 4.4, SD 0.6). On average, interns reported a significant improvement in their self-rated knowledge, skills and attitudes after the six seminars (mean improvement 1.6 points, SD 0.4 (95% CI 1.5 to 1.7), p<0.001).We successfully implemented a novel high value care curriculum that specifically targets intern physicians.

    View details for PubMedID 28663352

  • Persistent bacteraemia caused by Staphylococcus aureus in the gall bladder. BMJ case reports Yu, A. T., Cun, T. n., Benamu, E. n., Renault, C. n. 2017; 2017

    Abstract

    Staphylococcus aureusbacteraemia (SAB) remains a complex disease with a high associated morbidity and mortality, especially when it is able to establish an occult nidus safe from antimicrobial eradication. Without rapid identification and intervention, the nidus can cause persistent relapse of disease, morbidity and mortality. Having a high clinical suspicion for the foci of occult S. aureus is important, and awareness of potential sites of infection is critical and can be life-saving.We present a unique case of a 65-year-old man with end-stage renal disease receiving haemodialysis who developed septic shock from SAB. Despite 18 days of appropriate antibiotics, the patient had persistent high-grade bacteraemia until his gall bladder was ultimately percutaneously drained. The day after drainage, he cleared his blood cultures, although he ultimately passed away as he decided to transition his care to focus on comfort measures.

    View details for PubMedID 29122896

  • Mycobacterium leprae In: Mandell, Douglas and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 8th edition Renault, C. A., Ernst, J. D. 2014
  • Time to clearance of Chlamydia trachomatis ribosomal RNA in women treated for chlamydial infection SEXUAL HEALTH Renault, C. A., Israelski, D. M., Levy, V., Fujikawa, B. K., Kellogg, T. A., Klausner, J. D. 2011; 8 (1): 69-73

    Abstract

    The dynamics of chlamydia clearance after treatment administration for chlamydial urogenital infection are unknown. We estimated the time to clearance of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) ribosomal RNA (rRNA) after administration of azithromycin for cervical chlamydial infection using APTIMA Combo 2 (Gen-Probe, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA).A total of 115 women diagnosed with urogenital chlamydial infection, defined as a positive APTIMA urine or endocervical specimen, were enrolled in the present study. Vaginal swabs on the day of treatment (Day 0) and on Days 3, 7, 10 and 14 after treatment with 1 g of azithromycin were self-obtained by participants. Specimens were tested in a single laboratory. Our analysis was limited to women who were CT-confirmed by vaginal swab at baseline, who returned all follow-up swabs, and who reported sexual abstinence during the follow-up period (n = 61).Among 61 participants, 48 (79%) had a negative APTIMA at Day 14. Subjects with a negative APTIMA at each time-point were as follows: 0/61 (0%) on Day 0, 7/61 (12%) on Day 3, 28/61 (46%) on Day 7, 40/61 (66%) on Day 10, and 48/61 (79%) on Day 14. Multiple linear regression analysis predicted time to clearance at 17 days (95% confidence interval, 16-18 days) after administration of azithromycin. Seventeen of the 94 participants (18.1%) who screened positive for chlamydia had a negative vaginal swab on Day 0, indicating possible spontaneous clearance of CT.After treatment, CT rRNA declined with time. As rRNA was still detectable in 21% of the women 14 days after treatment, APTIMA should not be used as a test-of-cure in the 14-day period following azithromycin administration.

    View details for DOI 10.1071/SH10030

    View details for Web of Science ID 000286518400013

    View details for PubMedID 21371385

  • Trypanosoma brucei infection in a HIV positive Ugandan male Clinical Laboratory Science Dill, E., Renault C, Kirkpatrick BD 2011; 24 (2): 85-88
  • Is spinal tuberculosis contagious? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES Schirmer, P., Renault, C. A., Holodniy, M. 2010; 14 (8): E659-E666

    Abstract

    While pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections are recognized for their public health implications, less is known about the infectiousness of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, specifically, spinal tuberculosis or Pott's disease. We present a case of spinal tuberculosis with concomitant active pulmonary tuberculosis in the absence of chest radiographic abnormalities or symptoms, and review the literature regarding infectiousness of concomitant spinal and pulmonary tuberculosis.

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ijid.2009.11.009

    View details for Web of Science ID 000282662100003

    View details for PubMedID 20181507

  • Validation of Microcapillary Flow Cytometry for Community-Based CD4+ T Lymphocyte Enumeration in Remote Burkina Faso The Open AIDS Journal Renault CA, Traore A, Machekano RN, Israelski DM 2010; 4: 171-175
  • Mycobacterium leprae In: Mandell G, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 7th edition Renault, C. A., Ernst, J. D. 2010
  • Lower-Cost Laboratory Monitoring for CD4 T-Lymphocyte Enumeration, HIV RNA Quantitation and Drug Resistance. In: Marlink RG, Teitelman SJ, eds., From the Ground Up: Building Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Care Programs in Resource-Limited Settings Kassaye, S., Renault, C. A., Israelski, D. M. 2009
  • Validation of a low-cost system for CD4+T lymphocyte enumeration in rural Burkina Faso Renault, C. A., Traore, A., Sieba, I., Machekano, R. N., Harvey, J., Israelski, D. M. AMER SOC TROP MED & HYGIENE. 2006: 144
  • Use of NAATs for STD diagnosis of GC and CT in non-FDA -cleared anatomic specimens. MLO: medical laboratory observer Renault, C. A., Hall, C., Kent, C. K., Klausner, J. D. 2006; 38 (7): 10-?

    View details for PubMedID 16918168

  • Avian influenza in humans: A practical review for clinicians INFECTIONS IN MEDICINE Eckburg, P. B., Schneider, J. J., Renault, C. A. 2005; 22 (11): 535-?