Laura Certain
( out of 93 reviews )

Laura Certain, MD, PhD

Languages spoken: English

  • Dr. Certain joined the Infectious Diseases Division at the University of Utah in the fall of 2017. She sees patients in the infectious disease outpatient clinic and on the inpatient infectious diseases consult services at the University of Utah Hospital. Her particular area of interest is orthopedic infections, and she works closely with the Orthopedic Surgery department to improve care for patients with these infections. That said, she enjoys the variety offered by a general ID practice and is happy to see patients with any infectious complaint.

    Specialties

    Board Certification

    American Board of Internal Medicine
    American Board of Internal Medicine (Sub: Infectious Disease)

    Patient Rating

    4.9 /5
    ( out of 93 reviews )

    The patient rating score is an average of all responses on our patient experience survey. The rating averages scores for all questions about care from our providers.

    The scale on which responses are measured is 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.

    Patient Comments

    Patient comments are gathered from our patient experience survey and displayed in their entirety. For the convenience of our visitors, some patient comments have been translated from their original language into English while preserving their original meaning as accurately as possible. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

    March 22, 2025
    ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

    Very thoughtful, thorough, and patient

    February 05, 2025
    ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

    Extremely caring.

    December 18, 2024
    ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

    Dr Certain is the first provider that has made me feel that she might have the answers to what has been a difficult and long journey. I appreciate that she isn't just throwing pills at me but really trying to get to the route of the problem.

    November 20, 2024
    ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

    Thank you Laura

    November 13, 2024
    ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

    A down to earth Dr. that will discuss all options and treatments to you in a personable way. A very pleasurable experience.

    October 30, 2024
    ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

    Dr. Certain is also a very friendly and knowledgeable person. She listens and makes me feel that I am an important patient to her. I value her advice and opinion, and definitely recommend her to anyone who needs an infectious disease specialist.

    October 29, 2024
    ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

    Very thorough and knowledgeable.

    September 26, 2024
    ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

    The best ID physician I've ever known.

    July 04, 2024
    ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

    Ask questions to make us feel she had a great education on our needs of care.

  • Dr. Certain joined the Infectious Diseases Division at the University of Utah in the fall of 2017. She sees patients in the infectious disease outpatient clinic and on the inpatient infectious diseases consult services at the University of Utah Hospital. Her particular area of interest is orthopedic infections, and she works closely with the Orthopedic Surgery department to improve care for patients with these infections. That said, she enjoys the variety offered by a general ID practice and is happy to see patients with any infectious complaint.

    Board Certification and Academic Information

    Academic Departments Internal Medicine -Associate Professor (Clinical)
    Orthopaedics -Adjunct Associate Professor
    Academic Divisions Infectious Diseases
    Board Certification
    American Board of Internal Medicine
    American Board of Internal Medicine (Sub: Infectious Disease)

    Education history

    Research Fellow Infectious Diseases - Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University Postdoctoral Research Fellow
    Fellowship Infectious Diseases - Massachusetts General Hospital / Brigham and Women's Hospital Fellow
    Residency Internal Medicine - Massachusetts General Hospital Resident
    Doctoral Training Genome Sciences - University of Washington School of Medicine Ph.D.
    Professional Medical Medicine - University of Washington School of Medicine M.D.
    Undergraduate Chemistry - Princeton University B.A.

    Selected Publications

    Journal Article

    1. Benefield RJ, Becker CK, Gray J, Cummins H, Certain LK (2025). (Re)Moving the needle: a retrospective, quasi-experimental assessment of the impact of a treatment guideline on oral antibiotic prescribing for orthopedic infections. Antimicrob Steward Healthc Epidemiol, 5(1), e84. (Read full article)
    2. Payne J, Sutton JD, Blackburn BE, Bansod S, Imlay H, Spivak ES, Pupaibool J, Gililland JM, Certain LK (2025). Effect of oral antibiotics after two-stage revision for periprosthetic joint infection on subsequent antibiotic resistance within a national cohort of United States veterans. J Bone Jt Infect, 10(1), 7-14. (Read full article)
    3. Sylvester B, Fuller SD, Certain L, Shakoor A, Doan T (2024). Bacillus coagulans-associated severe necrotizing scleral infection. Am J Ophthalmol Case Rep, 36, 102097. (Read full article)
    4. Seidelman J, Ritter AS, Poehlein E, Green CL, Briggs DV, Chari T, Therien AD, Aitchison AH, Lunn K, Zirbes CF, Manohar T, Rijo DV, Hagen JE, Talerico MT, DeBaun MR, Pean CA, Certain L, Nelson SB (2024). Multisite Study of the Management of Musculoskeletal Infection After Trauma: The MMUSKIT Study. Open Forum Infect Dis, 11(6), ofae262. (Read full article)
    5. Gray J, Benefield RJ, Gallagher CK, Cummins H, Certain LK (2024). "Once more, with feeling": no difference in outcomes between patients discharged on oral versus intravenous antibiotics for orthopedic infections in a propensity score matched cohort at a US medical center. Antimicrob Steward Healthc Epidemiol, 4(1), e61. (Read full article)
    6. Lewis DC, Blackburn BE, Archibeck J, Archibeck MJ, Anderson LA, Gililland JM, Certain LK, Pelt CE (2024). Similar Efficacy and Lower Cost Associated With Ceftazidime Compared to Tobramycin Coupled With Vancomycin in Antibiotic Spacers in the Treatment of Periprosthetic Joint Infection. J Arthroplasty. (Read full article)
    7. Savas MJ, Gray KF, Blackburn BE, Pelt CE, Gililland JM, Certain LK (2023). Association of Acute Kidney Injury With Antibiotic Loaded Cement Used for Treatment of Periprosthetic Joint Infection. J Arthroplasty, 38(12), 2704-2709.e1. (Read full article)
    8. Brown DG, Wahlig TA, Ma A, Certain LK, Chalmers PN, Fisher MA, Leung DT (2023). Genomic Characterization of 2 Cutibacterium acnes Isolates from a Surgical Site Infection Reveals Large Genomic Inversion. Pathog Immun, 8(1), 64-76. (Read full article)
    9. Gallagher CK, Cummins H, Benefield RJ, Certain LK (2023). Switching from intravenous vancomycin to oral antibiotics reduces adverse events in a retrospective cohort of outpatients with orthopedic infections. Pharmacotherapy. (Read full article)
    10. Cortes-Penfield N, Krsak M, Damioli L, Henry M, Seidelman J, Hewlett A, Certain L (2023). How we approach suppressive antibiotic therapy (SAT) following debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention for prosthetic joint infection. Clin Infect Dis. (Read full article)
    11. Certain LK, Benefield RJ, Newman M, Zhang M, Thomas FO (2022). A Quality Initiative to Improve Postdischarge Care for Patients on Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy. Open Forum Infect Dis, 9(7), ofac199. (Read full article)
    12. Kelly MP, Gililland JM, Blackburn BE, Anderson LA, Pelt CE, Certain LK (2022). Extended Oral Antibiotics Increase Bacterial Resistance in Patients Who Fail 2-Stage Exchange for Periprosthetic Joint Infection. J Arthroplasty, 37, S989-S996. (Read full article)
    13. Carlson VR, Dekeyser GJ, Certain L, Pupaibool J, Gililland JM, Anderson LA (2020). Clinical Experience With a Coordinated Multidisciplinary Approach to Treating Prosthetic Joint Infection. Arthroplast Today, 6(3), 360-362. (Read full article)
    14. Anderson MB, Arciola CR, Sarvanan SA, Campoccia D, Certain L, Diaz-Ledezma C, Montanaro L, Aguilera SP, Pelt CE, Puhto AP, Sergei O, Tikhilov R, Voloshin V, Yan CH (2018). General Assembly, Treatment, Multidisciplinary Issues: Proceedings of International Consensus on Orthopedic Infections. J Arthroplasty, 34(2S), S239-S243. (Read full article)
    15. Zainul-Abidin S, Amanatullah DF, Anderson MB, Austin M, Barretto JM, Battenberg A, Bedard NA, Bell K, Blevins K, Callaghan JJ, Cao L, Certain L, Chang Y, Chen JP, Cizmic Z, Coward J, DeMik DE, Diaz-Borjon E, Enayatollahi MA, Feng JE, Fernando N, Gililland JM, Goodman S, Goodman S, Greenky M, Hwang K, Iorio R, Karas V, Khan R, Kheir M, Klement MR, Kunutsor SK, Limas R, Morales Maldonado RA, Manrique J, Matar WY, Mokete L, Nung N, Pelt CE, Pietrzak JRT, Premkumar A, Rondon A, Sanchez M, Novaes de Santana C, Sheth N, Singh J, Springer BD, Tay KS, Varin D, Wellman S, Wu L, Xu C, Yates AJ (2018). General Assembly, Prevention, Host Related General: Proceedings of International Consensus on Orthopedic Infections. J Arthroplasty, 34(2S), S13-S35. (Read full article)
    16. Certain LK, Way JC, Pezone MJ, Collins JJ (2017). Using Engineered Bacteria to Characterize Infection Dynamics and Antibiotic Effects In Vivo. Cell Host Microbe, 22(3), 263-268.e4. (Read full article)

    Review

    1. Hellwinkel JE, Working ZM, Certain L, Garca AJ, Wenke JC, Bahney CS (2022). The intersection of fracture healing and infection: Orthopaedics research society workshop 2021. [Review]. J Orthop Res, 40(3), 541-552. (Read full article)

    Case Report

    1. Compton T, Ferguson NA, Certain L, Nixon D (2024). Extrapulmonary, Chronic Septic Arthritis From Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the Ankle and Subtalar Joints. J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev, 8(3). (Read full article)

    Editorial

    1. Certain LK (2025). Themes and Challenges in Managing Musculoskeletal Infections. Infect Dis Clin North Am. (Read full article)

    Letter

    1. Zukauckas K, Benefield RJ, Newman M, Certain L (2022). Why Bother? Lab Monitoring in Beta-Lactam Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy. [Letter to the editor]. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 66(6), e0057922. (Read full article)