Dr. Randall Fisher

(757) 668-7238
Practice
Board Certifications

American Board of Pediatrics

Pediatric Infectious Disease

Education

Medical School: Tulane University School of Medicine

Residency: Madigan Army Medical Center

Fellowship: Vanderbilt University

Bio

During his training at Vanderbilt, Dr. Fisher's research focused on respiratory syncytial virus. From there, he became interested in viruses in general, and respiratory viruses in particular. Dr. Fisher published several papers on these topics and continued similar research at Duke University.

He has lectured on RSV and influenza many, many times and in multiple places.  

His main interest, however, is in clinical care and in books and book chapters rather than in basic science research, which is how he landed at CHKD.  

Fortunate to come through training at a time when treatments for HIV were being developed, Dr. Fisher worked with one of the world's experts on HIV therapy while at Duke. The experience gave him a leg up on this complex therapy and motivated him to keep up with all the changes that have come along. 

Dr. Fisher's younger son was diagnosed with Crohn's disease (a chronic inflammatory condition of the bowel) in 2014, placing him on the other side of the medical experience. Going through that experience has helped him better understand what patients and their families are feeling and have. He believes it made him a more compassionate and empathetic physician.

Dr. Fisher has spoken often on local news channels, answering questions when new infectious problems in our communities have arisen, particularly during flu seasons.

Clinical Interests
  • HSV infections early in life
  • Respiratory viruses
  • Bone/joint infections
  • Meningitis
  • Sepsis
  • HIV
  • Significant pneumonia
Research Areas
  • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
  • Infections in premature babies
  • Improving spinal tap results for infants and babies
Honors & Awards
  • Virginia Business Magazine "Top Doc" 2024
  • Coastal Virginia Magazine "Top Doc" 2015-2022
  • Meritorious Service Medal, U.S. Army
Community Involvement
  • Church choir director and organist for more than 35 years
A Note From Dr. Fisher

"I came to CHKD from Duke University because I liked the idea of a free-standing children's hospital and I wanted to be able to engage in more direct patient care."

Publications
  • Co-authored  "Moffet's Pediatric Infectious Diseases: A Problem-Oriented Approach," a textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. He was the lead author for the 4th and 5th editions.
  • Editor of a Pediatric ID textbook that was published on the Indian subcontinent.
  • Wrote or co-wrote 16 chapters for Feigin and Cherry, a large, two-volume textbook of Pediatric ID.
  • Dr. Fisher's research can be viewed at PubMed.