Allergy/Immunology Fellowship Program
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Director, Allergy Immunology Fellowship Program |
Associate Director, Allergy, Immunology Fellowship Program |
Welcome to the Vanderbilt University Allergy/Immunology Fellowship Training Program website. The emphasis of the fellowship program is to train academic clinicians or academic investigators, and approximately half of the graduates of the program are members of medical school faculties. Vanderbilt University currently is ranked in the top 10 of NIH funded universities and the Vanderbilt Department of Medicine is currently ranked 2nd in NIH funding amongst departments of medicine in the United States. These resources provide a unique environment for successful research training. The Vanderbilt Allergy/Immunology Fellowship Training Program accepts trainees that have completed residencies in internal medicine, pediatrics, or medicine/pediatrics. It is a two year program that has two NIH T-32 grants to provide third and fourth years of training for those fellows who seek investigative careers.
Our training program provides basic and clinical science oriented physician/investigators (M.D. or M.D./Ph.D.) with experience that meets the American Board of Allergy and Immunology requirements for certification. The first year of fellowship is highly weighted toward clinical training with fellows having 8 half-days of clinic per week in the first 6 month block, and 7 half-days of clinic per week in the second 6 month block. In these clinic experiences, an introduction into all practical aspects of the Allergy/Immunology is provided. Allergy skin testing, immunotherapy, and pulmonary function testing are reviewed in detail, along with elective training in relevant aspects of ENT, dermatology, pulmonary disease, and drug allergy. The clinical experience consists of seeing patients with a variety of IgE and non IgE-mediated disorders ranging from anaphylaxis to urticaria, angioedema, adverse drug reactions, rhinitis, and asthma. Less common disorders such as systemic mastocytosis, eosinophilic diseases, complement deficiencies, immune deficiencies, and vasculitides are also evaluated. Inpatient experience is gained primarily through consultations and provides a unique opportunity to assess difficult and challenging cases, to maintain clinical skills, and to interact with the hospital staff. Fellows assist in evaluation and management of inpatients and outpatients with drug allergies requiring desensitization for therapy of underlying diseases such as infections, cancer, and autoimmune conditions.
The laboratory research experience is central to the Allergy program and is the focus of the second year of training. Most postdoctoral fellows participate in the laboratories focused on processes directly pertinent to allergic diseases and bronchial asthma. The senior faculty includes both preclinical faculty and faculty with subspecialties in Allergy/Immunology, Pulmonary Medicine, Infectious Diseases, or Emergency Medicine. These investigators have R01 funding and have successfully mentored junior faculty in obtaining NIH K series award funding. Vanderbilt is also one of 10 current sites for that has been awarded an NIH Asthma and Allergic Diseases Cooperative Research Center (U19) grant.
Please contact Mr. Michael Beasley (michael.t.beasley@vumc.org), our Fellowship Program Coordinator, or us if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Stokes Peebles, M.D.
Elizabeth and John Murray Professor of Medicine
Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine