How to Become a Board-Certified Allergist

The Division of Allergy & Clinical Immunology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine has established a fellowship program designed to train leaders in academic allergy/immunology. The aim of the training program is to prepare physicians for a broad range of possible careers including those in basic research, clinical research, education and clinical practice.

Clinical training draws on a diverse patient population and on the intellectual strengths and contributions of leading clinicians, teachers and investigators from both the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Maximum exposure is provided to a broad spectrum of clinical problems in an optimal teaching setting. Fellows play an important role in the education of Hopkins medical school students and the medical housestaff at each institution.

The research program is staffed by physician-scientists and Ph.D. investigators who specialize in cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, genetics/functional genomics and epidemiology. The depth and diversity of research activities represents one of the major strengths of the fellowship. Added to this, there are other training grants to support research in the Rheumatology and Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine Divisions. Over the past year, our laboratories have produced numerous original research contributions published in a wide range of peer-reviewed clinical and basic science journals. Competitive awards from the NIH or other agencies such as the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the American Lung Association, and the Food Allergy & Asthma Network (FAAN) largely support the allergy research laboratories at both teaching hospitals.

The duration of the fellowship is two to three years. The majority of fellows, however, continue their training for a third year. This is felt to be essential in preparation for a career as an academic allergist.

Upon completion of the clinical and research years, fellows will have acquired requisite clinical and research skills and a track record to launch a career as a basic science investigator, clinician-scientist or clinician-educator anywhere in the world.