LGBTQ+ Council spotlight: Collette Abbott

Dr. Collette Abbott, assistant professor (General Internal Medicine) earned her undergraduate degree from Princeton University and her medical degree from New York University. She completed her internship and residency at the University of Washington, followed by a chief residency in global health, in Naivasha, Kenya. 

Abbott has served as a hospitalist at Harborview Medical Center since 2020 and she currently holds a dual appointment in General Internal Medicine and the UW Department of Global Health. 

As a mentor and educator, she is engaged in various global health programs for students and residents. She was the director of the Internal Medicine Residency Global Health Pathway from 2022-2025 and has served as the director of medical student programs for the Department of Global Health since 2022. She is also a faculty lead and instructor for several global health courses in the UW School of Medicine and the Department of Global Health.   

Abbott is an active member of many groups and committees in the department and the School of Medicine. She serves as a mentor for the Adult Medicine Clinic Journal Club for internal medicine PGY3 residents, a member of the School of Medicine Scholarship Committee, and a member of the Department of Global Health Curriculum Committee. She has served as an associate program director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program since 2025.

Abbott is also a committed member of the LGBTQ+ Council, having joined to reengage with the community and further support medical students and residents. 

“I want to be involved with a community of other likeminded LGBTQ+ folks at UW, and to serve as a mentor to trainees navigating medical training,” Abbott said. 

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her wife, daughter and dog.