Allergy and Immunology

Fellowship Program Details

First Year

During the first year of training, the Fellow will have broad exposure to various types of problems in which the immune response is altered (either by deficiencies of various host-defense mechanisms or by the development of hypersensitivity states). This exposure will come through participation in the allergy and immunology clinics, and in a consultant capacity, in the diagnosis and management of patients with such disorders who are admitted to the inpatient service. The trainee will also serve as primary care physician for patients with allergic and immunodeficiency disorders admitted to the GCRC. Rounds with one of the senior staff members (in rotation) are made on inpatients.

The trainee will learn the various techniques necessary for patient evaluation, including skin testing, clinical immunology laboratory tests for evaluating immunologic competence, and pulmonary function testing. In-depth training in Clinical and Laboratory Immunology is provided. The trainee will be expected to attend weekly Divisional conferences including:

Monday afternoon reviews of allergy and immunology patients seen in clinic and a systemic board review
Wednesday Allergy and Immunology seminar in which sessions by outside speakers and senior staff members are alternated with seminars given by the Fellows on a wide range of basic and clinical topics and a monthly journal club
Friday morning Immunology Rounds reviewing relevant scientific literature and a monthly journal club, and
Friday morning patient review session.

In addition, a Basic Science Immunology Seminar is held each Monday morning. Also, a Work in Progress Seminar is given each Monday afternoon by the Department of Immunology and a guest lecture each Tuesday afternoon. Both the weekly conferences and the monthly journal clubs are held jointly with the Medical Allergy/Immunology training program.

During the first year, the trainee will also be expected to attend an in-depth course in Medical Immunology, which consists of daily hour-long lectures from mid-January until May. The Fellow also has the opportunity to attend Pediatric House Staff conferences and Grand Rounds. Apportionment of the trainee's time in the first year will be made so as to allow ample time for laboratory research. Usually, this will initially consist of participation in ongoing laboratory research of the members of the Division. In this way, he/she can become familiar with various research methodology and will be encouraged to develop an independent research project according to his/her own particular interests.

Second Year

The second year is designed to allow the trainee maximum opportunity to develop his/her own research area and attend graduate and medical school courses relevant to the field given by the various basic science departments of the University. The courses selected will be dictated by the trainee's own particular interests. The trainee will work in the laboratories of the senior members of the Division or the University by whom they will be supervised directly. They will also be encouraged to visit and/or work in other laboratories in basic science departments and seek consultation when needed on problems related to the research. During this time, clinical responsibilities will be limited to participation in the weekly Allergy/Immunology Clinic, participation in the Allergy Clinic in the Department of Medicine, and elective time in Pulmonary, Dermatology, Rheumatology, and Otolaryngology. Evaluation of patients admitted to the GCRC who have problems relevant to the Fellow's area of research interest will also be a clinical responsibility. The trainee will continue to participate in the same teaching conferences available to the first year Fellow and will be responsible for organizing the monthly journal clubs and seminars.

Third Year

This year will be used to obtain further basic training, research, and teaching experience in preparation for a career in academic pediatric allergy and immunology. During the third year, the Fellow will be able to broaden their research interests by increasing interactions with the Department of Immunology, attending class or pursuing an advanced degree from the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) or pursuing a Masters of Public Health from the University of North Carolina. Satisfactory completion of a minimum of two years of training in this program will lead to eligibility to sit for the written examination of the American Board of Allergy and Immunology. However, all Fellows will be expected to complete three years of training.