Rachel Brana Falik, NP, DNP

Rachel Brana Falik, DNP, RN, CPNP-PC, is a member of the pediatric Infectious Diseases Division at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. Dr. Falik attended the University of Pittsburgh, where she received her bachelor of science in nursing in 2012. Following graduation, she worked as a registered nurse caring for solid organ transplant recipients, as well as those with intestinal and liver failure. She returned to the University of Pittsburgh, where she obtained her doctor of nursing practice (DNP) in 2018 as a pediatric nurse practitioner. She joined the team at Children’s National in January of 2022 after four years as the outpatient nurse practitioner in the Abdominal Transplant Surgery Department at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. 

Dr. Falik’s interest in infectious diseases began during her graduate education, specifically when she experienced vaccination hesitancy and refusal in the pediatric and adolescent population. Her doctoral dissertation focused on human papillomavirus (HPV). It included writing a White Paper in support of expanding the adolescent school vaccination mandate to include the HPV vaccine in Pennsylvania. Through her evaluation of available research, it was evidenced that HPV immunization rates were significantly higher in areas with HPV mandates than those without, supporting the need for a statewide HPV mandate in Pennsylvania. Her work has been presented nationally and published in the Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. 

Dr. Falik’s passion for infectious diseases grew exponentially during her time working as a nurse practitioner with the immunocompromised population. She was involved in monitoring and treatment of Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients. She has expertise in the management of invasive fungal infections, adenovirus, herpes simplex virus and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease in pediatric post-transplant recipients. She also has had experience managing SARS-CoV 2 symptoms and outcomes in children with intestine transplant, liver transplant and native liver disease. Dr. Falik is a dedicated and committed advanced practice nurse and is enthusiastic to have joined the Infectious Diseases Division at Children’s National.

• Infectious Diseases