Allergy & Immunology

Residents interested in Allergy & Immunology should seek out experiences that provide a broad exposure to and understanding of the diagnosis and management of allergic and immunologic disorders in children. This includes exposure to conditions including food allergy, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, asthma, urticaria, immunodeficiency, drug allergy and others. Gaining experience with diagnostic tools such as allergy skin prick testing, pulmonary function testing, oral food or drug challenges is also helpful.  Engagement in research and/or quality improvement projects is encouraged to enhance their understanding of evidence-based care and prepare them for subspecialty training.

Contacts

Stephanie Ward MD, MEd

Marlo Troughton 

Essential Elective

Recommended Electives

This half or full block elective allows residents to explore asthma diagnosis and management, experience additional exposure to pulmonary function testing and learn how pulmonary and allergic/immunologic conditions may overlap.

This half or full block elective should allow further exposure to a variety of skin rashes including atopic dermatitis, bullous skin diseases, medication-related rashes and others. This will improve understanding of different approaches to skin rashes, and how dermatologic presentations and conditions intersect and impact allergy/immunology.

This half or full block elective allows residents to focus on care of patients with eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders, FPIES, proctocolitis and other conditions with significant allergy/immunology overlap or impact.

This half or full block elective will allow residents to gain additional exposure in the evaluation and management of inborn errors of immunity with increased exposure to immunologic testing.

Other Electives

This is a half or full block elective (especially working with GI and A/I nutritionists) during which residents should focus on refining their understanding of dietary interventions for IgE-mediated food allergies, non-IgE-mediated food reactions and eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders including food avoidance measures, label reading, food alternatives and how this relates to the growth and development of children. 

This half-block experience can be utilized to more fully explore the role of a physician-educator and gain critical skills that will be utilized in an academic career, especially if interested in clinician-educator academic career path.

Recommended procedures

• Skin prick testing
• Observe oral food challenges
• Observe drug challenges
• Interpret Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT)

Other Experiences

• Contact the Division of Allergy and Immunology to discuss conferences or other opportunities

Scholarly Activity

Most applicants pursuing allergy and Immunology fellowship participate in a scholarly project. The project may be completed with allergy and immunology faculty, or may be completed in a related specialty. Residents who match into allergy and immunology participate in projects with a variety of topics and focuses, including social determinants of health impacting allergic diseases, drug allergy, food allergy, asthma, quality improvement, and others.

Professional Organizations

• American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) https://www.aaaai.org/:  The leading professional organization for allergists/immunologists providing resources for clinical care, research, and education.
• American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) https://acaai.org/: One of the leading professional medical associations for allergist-immunologists and allied health professionals, offering guidelines, clinical support, patient resources and scholarly support.
• American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Allergy and Immunology (AAP SOAI)  https://www.aap.org/en/community/aap-sections/allergy-and-immunology/ :A section of the AAP focused on Allergy and Immunology
• Clinical Immunology Society (CIS) https://clinimmsoc.org/: A national organization dedicated to research and clinical practice of clinical immunology, offering professional resources and research support.

Journals & Online Resources

Journals

• Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI)
  • Website: www.jacionline.org
  • Description: JACI is the official journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), publishing high-impact, cutting-edge clinical and translational research papers for allergists, immunologists, dermatologists, gastroenterologists, and other physicians and researchers interested in allergic diseases and clinical immunology.  
• Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice (JACI-IP)
  • Website: www.jaci-inpractice.org
  • Description: JACI: In Practice is an official publication of the AAAAI and a companion title to JACI. It brings timely clinical papers, instructive case reports, and the latest management recommendations to clinical allergists and other physicians concerned with clinical manifestations of allergic and immunologic diseases in their practice.  
• Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
  • Website: www.annallergy.org
  • Description: The Annals is a scholarly medical journal published monthly by the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, serving as an objective evidence-based forum for allergy/immunology specialists to keep up to date on current clinical science in the fields of allergy, asthma, and immunology. 

Organizations

• Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE)
  • Website: www.foodallergy.org
  • Description: FARE is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with the mission to improve the quality of life and health of those with food allergies through transformative research, education, and advocacy.  
• Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF)
  • Website: primaryimmune.org
  • Description: The Immune Deficiency Foundation improves the diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life for every person affected by primary immunodeficiency. They foster a community that is connected, engaged, and empowered through advocacy, education, and research.