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PEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY
What does an Allergist/Immunologist do?
What are the career opportunities?
What Board, if any, certifies a Allergist/Immunologist?
What is the lifestyle of a Allergist/Immunologist?
What is the compensation of a Allergist/Immunologist?
How do I become a Allergist/Immunologist?
Where do I find out about available programs?
When do I apply?
Why should I choose to become a Allergist/Immunologist?
What does an Allergist/Immunologist do?
Specialists in Allergy & Immunology have a wide range of career opportunities within research, education and clinical practice. The Allergist/Immunologist may manage pediatric and adult patients with a variety of medical problems including:
- Diseases of the respiratory tract such as allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis and occupational lung diseases
- Allergic diseases of the eye including allergic conjunctivitis
- Allergic conditions of the skin including atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, acute/chronic urticaria or angioedema
- Adverse reactions to foods, drugs, vaccines, stinging insects, and other agents
- Diseases associated with autoimmune responses to self-antigens, or auto-inflammatory syndromes
- Diseases of the immune system including primary immune deficiencies such as severe combined immune deficiency syndromes, antibody deficiencies, complement deficiency, phagocytic cell abnormalities, or other impairments in innate immunity and acquired immune deficiency related to HIV infection or drug-induced immune suppression.
- Stem cell, bone marrow and/or organ transplantation
- Gastrointestinal disorders caused by immune responses to foods including eosinophilic esophagitis or gastroenteritis, food protein-induced enteropathies, etc
- Systemic diseases including anaphylaxis and systemic diseases involving mast cells or eosinophils
What are the career opportunities?
The specialist in Allergy/Immunology may pursue a wide range of career opportunities. Some choose clinical careers in either private offices or teaching hospitals, while others are involved primarily in research as physician-scientists at medical schools, or in government or industry. The academic Allergist/Immunologist frequently combines patient care with medical school teaching and research. Many will gear their practice toward either pediatrics or adults and will be a member of the respective department.
What Board, if any, certifies an Allergist/Immunologist?
An Allergist/Immunologist is a physician certified first in either Internal Medicine, Pediatrics or both who has completed an additional two years of fellowship training in an ACGME accredited allergy/immunology training program. The Allergist/Immunologist receives their subspecialty certification from the American Board of Allergy & Immunology (ABAI), which is a conjoint board of the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) and the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).
What is the lifestyle of an Allergist/Immunologist?
The majority of Allergy/Immunology subspecialists work approximately 40 hours per week. There are opportunities for full-time as well as part-time employment in academic or community practice settings and in solo or group practice. Call responsibilities vary upon the type and size of practice (academic versus private practice; solo versus group practice). Inpatient and evening/weekend call/consult responsibilities also vary depending upon the type of practice setting.
What is the compensation of an Allergist/Immunologist?
Salary and benefits vary depending upon the type and location of practice as well as seniority and level of expertise. Depending upon the nature of the practice, there may be opportunities to buy in to or achieve ownership in the practice. For additional salary information, please click here or here.
How do I become an Allergist/Immunologist?
To become an Allergist/Immunologist, a physician must first complete a residency in Pediatrics, Internal Medicine or combined Med-Peds. Applications for Allergy/Immunology fellowship are processed through ERAS and training programs participate in the NRMP. Allergy/immunology fellowship involves successful completion of 24 months of an educational program that includes training in both children and adults.
Where do I find out about available programs?
Information about Allergy/Immunology fellowship programs can be accessed through FREIDA, ERAS, ACGME or the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
When do I apply?
Applications for allergy/immunology fellowship are processed through ERAS. Interested applicants can begin accessing ERAS and uploading their applications in August of their second year of residency. Individual programs can begin reviewing ERAS materials in December and typically offer interviews during the winter/early spring. NRMP match day for Allergy/Immunology is in May of the year prior to the anticipated July 1st start date. For match statistics, click here.
Why should I choose to become an allergist/immunologist?
Allergy/Immunology represents a vibrant, exciting & challenging career path for physicians interested in working with patients of all ages with a wide range of allergic and immunologic diseases. The subspecialty provides the opportunity to work with patients with common diseases such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, and immune-mediated food hypersensitivities. The subspecialty also provides the opportunity to work with patients with rare and potentially life-threatening disorders of the immune system and to manage more complex issues related to diagnosis and treatment. The field of immunology is rapidly advancing and individuals pursuing research careers in the subspecialty have the ability to advance medical knowledge and to translate this in to clinically relevant strategies for diagnosis and treatment of allergic and immunologic conditions. The nature of the subspecialty is such that the physician can follow an individual patient throughout their life, and also provide care to other family members of all ages who have the same or similar condition.
For more information about Allergy/Immunology, visit these websites:
ACGME
FREIDA
ERAS Fellowships
American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Allergy/Immunology
American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Clinical Immunology Society
Subspecialty journals:
Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Journal of Clinical Immunology
Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Pulmonology
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