Allergists and Immunologists

At a Glance

Treat a variety of conditions, including hay fever and auto-immune disorders
Go to medical school after receiving a bachelor's degree
Work with patients and other medical staff
Often work more than 40 hours a week
Prescribe medications

Career summary

Allergists are doctors who treat hay fever and other allergies, asthma, and diseases of the immune system. They are also called immunologists.

#4/10/19 lh

An allergy is a response by the immune system to substances in the environment. To diagnose allergies, allergists and immunologists take a thorough patient history. They ask about symptoms, family history, home, work, and school environments.

During an exam, allergists and immunologists examine the upper and lower respiratory system. They look at the nose, the mouth, the ears, and the eyes. They feel the lymph nodes in the neck and listen to the heart and lungs.

Allergists and immunologists may order several types of tests such as:

Skin tests
Blood tests
Breathing tests

They review test results and develop a treatment plan for each patient. They may suggest environmental changes, such as limiting exposure to pets for someone who is allergic to animals. They also prescribe drugs to relieve the symptoms. Allergists and immunologists keep detailed patient records.

Some allergists and immunologists work with people whose immune system attacks the body unnecessarily. When a patient has an organ transplant, an allergist or immunologist is on the medical team to manage the reaction until the new organ is accepted by the body.

Many allergists and immunologists work at medical offices or hospital clinics. Others are involved in research at medical schools, government agencies, or drug companies. Some allergists and immunologists combine patient care with teaching and research.

Related careers

This career is part of the Health Science cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

Military careers

Physicians and Surgeons

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to allergists and immunologists.

Diagnose or treat allergic and immunologic conditions.
Order or perform diagnostic tests such as skin pricks and delayed hypersensitivity tests.
Educate patients about diagnoses, prognoses, or treatments.
Develop treatment plans for patients.
Prescribe medication such as antihistamines, antibiotics, and inhaled steroids.
Document patients' medical histories.
Assess the risks and benefits of therapies for various allergic disorders.
Conduct physical examination of patients.
Interpret test results to make diagnoses.
Provide therapies to treat immune conditions.
Coordinate patient care with other health care professionals.
Attend conferences and keep skills up to date.
Consult with other health care professionals.

Common work activities

Allergists and immunologists perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

Assist and care for others
Update and use job-related knowledge
Get information needed to do the job
Make decisions and solve problems
Document and record information
Establish and maintain relationships
Process information
Explain the meaning of information to others
Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
Identify objects, actions, and events
Perform for or work with the public
Organize, plan, and prioritize work
Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
Communicate with people outside the organization
Analyze data or information
Evaluate information against standards
Develop goals and strategies
Schedule work and activities
Use computers
Provide advice and consultation to others
Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
Teach others
Develop and build teams
Judge the value of objects, services, or people
Think creatively
Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
Guide, direct, and motivate others
Monitor and control resources
Coordinate the work and activities of others
Coach others
Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
Perform administrative tasks

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, allergists and immunologists:

Interpersonal relationships

Have a very high level of social interaction. They interact with patients throughout the day.
Communicate with others in person, on the telephone, and through e-mail on a daily basis. They also write letters and memos, but less frequently.
Have a great amount of responsibility for the work done by nurses and assistants
Have a great amount of responsibility for the health and safety of patients.
Occasionally are placed in conflict situations where patients may be unpleasant or rude due to feeling poorly.
Usually work as part of a team.

Physical work conditions

Work indoors.
Are exposed to the diseases and infections of patients on a daily basis.
Come into close physical contact with patients.

Work performance

Must be very exact and accurate when performing the job. Errors can impact patients' health.
Repeat the same mental and physical tasks.
Make decisions on a daily basis that substantially impact patients and their families.
Make nearly all their decisions and set their daily tasks and goals independently.
Work in a moderately competitive, stressful atmosphere where they must meet daily deadlines.

Physical demands

Allergists and immunologists frequently:

Sit for long periods of time.
Stand for long periods of time.

It is important for allergists and immunologists to be able to:

Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
Understand the speech of another person.
See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for allergists and immunologists to be able to:

See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
Determine the distance between objects.

Skills and abilities

Allergists and immunologists need to:

Communicate

Read and understand work-related materials.
Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
Listen to others and ask questions.
Understand spoken information.
Understand written information.
Write clearly so other people can understand.

Reason and problem solve

Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
Recognize the nature of a problem.
Think of new ideas about a topic.
Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.
Develop rules that group items in various ways.
Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
Identify what must be changed to reach goals.
Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
Make sense of information that seems without meaning or organization.
Remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.

Use math and science

Use scientific methods to solve problems.
Choose a mathematical method or formula to solve problems.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

Check how well one is learning or doing something.
Manage the time of self and others.
Go back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information without becoming confused.

Work with people

Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
Teach others how to do something.
Look for ways to help people.
Use several methods to learn or teach new things.
Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
Persuade others to approach things differently.

Perceive and visualize

Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.
Imagine how something will look if it is moved around or its parts are rearranged.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

Other programs of study to consider

Training

To work as an allergist or immunologist, you typically need to:

have a high school diploma or equivalent;
have a bachelor's degree;
graduate from medical school;
pass a state licensing exam;
complete a residency program in either internal medicine or pediatrics;
complete a fellowship in an allergy or immunology training program; and
pass additional exams to become board certified.

Education after high school

You usually need a bachelor's degree to get into medical school. While you do not need to be a pre-medicine or science major, these programs are good preparation. If you earn a liberal arts degree, be sure to take courses in physics, biology, and chemistry.

To become a doctor, you must complete medical school. Medical schools grant a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DOM) degree. You spend the first two years of medical school in classrooms and labs studying anatomy, biochemistry, and medicines. You also learn how to take a medical history, examine patients, and diagnose illnesses. During the next two years, you care for patients in hospitals and clinics under the supervision of doctors.

After completing medical school, you must complete three years of additional training in either internal medicine or pediatrics. Following this residency, you must pass an exam. Finally, you must complete a two-year fellowship in allergy or immunology training.

On-the-job training

While in medical school, you spend much of the last two years working in a clinical setting. Clinical work emphasizes diagnosing and treating patients. After completing medical school, you complete three years of additional training as a resident in either internal medicine or pediatrics. More training is gained during a fellowship.

Military training

The military provides advanced training for doctors. However, it does not provide the initial training to become a doctor. Scholarships for advanced medical training are available in return for a required period of military service.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum (external link) may be different from your state's graduation requirements .

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

Anatomy and Physiology
Computer Applications
Food and Nutrition
Foreign Language
Introduction to Health Care
Nursing
Safety and First Aid

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups (PDF file) that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Many allergists and immunologists begin work in a group practice or clinic. Some go to work for the hospital where they complete their residency.

Employers look for applicants who are inquisitive, compassionate, and patient. It is important to have good communication skills and be an effective decision-maker. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are also important.

Costs to workers

Allergists and Immunologists who join professional associations may pay membership fees and annual dues. They may also attend courses, seminars, and workshops to update their knowledge and keep up to date on changes in their field.

Allergists and immunologists who have borrowed money to pay school expenses have large debt payments for the first few years after graduation. The average educational debt for medical students who graduated in 2017 was $190,694 with 83% percent owing at least $100,000. Malpractice insurance is expensive. To enter private practice, practitioners must invest in equipment, office space, and staffing costs. Estimated costs range from $75,000 to $100,000 or more.

#Updated to mean 2014 graduate debt info from debt fact card 2/4/14, cj. Used 2015 debt card 4/13/15 lh. Updated link for source of debt data & updated info 2/2/16 & 1/31/18, cj. https://members.aamc.org/iweb/upload/2017%20Debt%20Fact%20Card.pdf (external link) (PDF file)

Licensing/certification

Allergists and immunologists must be licensed by the State of Washington as either medical or osteopathic physicians. General licensing requirements include:

a good moral character;
physical and mental capability to safely perform the duties of a physician;
completion of a four-year doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathic medicine program at an approved medical school;
one year (osteopathic physician) or two years (medical physician) approved post-graduate training;
completion of four- (medical physician) or seven- (osteopathic physician) clock hours AIDS education; and
passing a national written exam.

For more information on the US Medical Licensing Exam, call 215.590.9500 or go to the National Board of Medical Examiners (external link) website.

Osteopathic doctors must complete 150 hours of continuing education every three years and medical doctors must complete 200 hours of continuing education every four years.

Licensing fees vary ranging from $491 (medical physicians) to $391 (osteopathic physicians) for the application. The annual renewal fee for osteopathic physicians is $441 and the biannual renewal fee for medical physicians is $657. The combined fee for an application and state exam for osteopathic practitioners is $516. The licensing and the renewal fees generally include an access fee for health-related online library journals and publications and a Washington physician health program surcharge.

For more information on medical doctors, contact:

Washington Medical Commission (external link)
PO Box 47866
Olympia, WA 98504-7866
360.236.2750

For information on osteopathic doctors, contact:

Washington State Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery (external link)
PO Box 47877
Olympia, WA 98504-7865
360.236.4700

#1/31/18, cj. 4/10/19 lh

Wages

Physicians and surgeons, all other (SOC 29-1069)

Location	Pay Period
Location	Pay Period	10%	25%	Median	75%	90%
Washington	Hourly	$48.36	$79.36	(1)	(1)	(1)
	Monthly	$8,381	$13,753	(1)	(1)	(1)
	Yearly	$100,600	$165,060	(1)	(1)	(1)
Bellingham	Hourly	$72.55	(2)	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Monthly	$12,573	(2)	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Yearly	$150,899	(2)	(2)	(2)	(2)
Bremerton-Silverdale	Hourly	$71.33	$84.43	$99.42	(2)	(2)
	Monthly	$12,361	$14,632	$17,229	(2)	(2)
	Yearly	$148,372	$175,633	$206,801	(2)	(2)
Clarkston-Lewiston	Hourly	$53.58	$97.51	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Monthly	$9,285	$16,898	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Yearly	$111,434	$202,811	(2)	(2)	(2)
Kennewick-Richland	Hourly	$41.79	$60.88	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Monthly	$7,242	$10,551	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Yearly	$86,905	$126,626	(2)	(2)	(2)
Longview	Hourly	$82.07	(2)	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Monthly	$14,223	(2)	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Yearly	$170,709	(2)	(2)	(2)	(2)
Mount Vernon-Anacortes	Hourly	$25.58	$47.63	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Monthly	$4,433	$8,254	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Yearly	$53,211	$99,052	(2)	(2)	(2)
Olympia-Tumwater	Hourly	$18.27	$31.23	$98.25	(2)	(2)
	Monthly	$3,166	$5,412	$17,027	(2)	(2)
	Yearly	$38,002	$64,966	$204,361	(2)	(2)
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue	Hourly	$53.73	$86.69	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Monthly	$9,311	$15,023	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Yearly	$111,749	$180,323	(2)	(2)	(2)
Spokane-Spokane Valley	Hourly	$28.29	$48.86	$93.56	(2)	(2)
	Monthly	$4,903	$8,467	$16,214	(2)	(2)
	Yearly	$58,850	$101,628	$194,605	(2)	(2)
Vancouver	Hourly	$28.12	$37.37	$73.86	(2)	(2)
	Monthly	$4,873	$6,476	$12,800	(2)	(2)
	Yearly	$58,485	$77,735	$153,643	(2)	(2)
Walla Walla	Hourly	$37.55	$56.33	$60.19	$72.58	(2)
	Monthly	$6,507	$9,762	$10,431	$12,578	(2)
	Yearly	$78,115	$117,177	$125,194	$150,965	(2)
Wenatchee	Hourly	$58.09	$92.04	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Monthly	$10,067	$15,951	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Yearly	$120,826	$191,441	(2)	(2)	(2)
Yakima	Hourly	$80.87	$96.36	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Monthly	$14,015	$16,699	(2)	(2)	(2)
	Yearly	$168,219	$200,420	(2)	(2)	(2)
United States	Hourly	$28.98	$53.58	$96.58	(1)	(1)
	Monthly	$5,022	$9,285	$16,737	(1)	(1)
	Yearly	$60,280	$111,440	$200,890	(1)	(1)

(1) Wages are greater than $90/hour or $187,200/year.
(2) Wage estimate is not available.

Wages vary by employer, years of experience, and hours worked. The doctor's skill, personality, and professional reputation also affect wages. Self-employed allergists and immunologists generally earn more than those who are not self-employed.

Allergists and immunologists usually receive benefits. Typical benefits include sick leave, paid vacation, health insurance, and a retirement plan. Allergists and immunologists who are self-employed must provide their own insurance and retirement plan.

National wage information is not available specifically for allergists and immunologists. However, they are part of the larger group of "all other physicians and surgeons."

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

Physicians and Surgeons, All Other (SOC 29-1069)

		This occupation	All occupations
Location	Current employment	Growth over 10 years		Annual openings
Washington	9,109	19.9%	16.1%	620
Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan Counties	151	-4.6%	13.4%	3
Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Walla Walla, and Whitman Counties	109	15.6%	8.6%	6
Benton and Franklin Counties	267	26.6%	15.0%	22
Clallam, Jefferson, and Kitsap Counties	264	24.2%	11.9%	20
Clark, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum Counties	547	21.4%	15.2%	38
Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston Counties	338	17.2%	14.1%	21
Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties	364	20.3%	14.6%	25
King County	4,362	19.6%	19.6%	294
Kittitas, Klickitat, Skamania, and Yakima Counties	243	18.9%	13.8%	16
Pierce County	678	20.1%	15.2%	46
Snohomish County	973	21.7%	12.4%	70
Spokane County	669	18.7%	13.9%	43
United States	433,700	7.8%	5.2%	16,500

National employment

Major employers:

Doctors' offices
Hospitals
Federal, state, and local government agencies

National outlook

Much of the demand for allergists and immunologists will be the result of a growing population. As the population grows, the number of people in need of care from allergists and immunologists will increase. In addition, an aging population will increase the number of people with conditions that require treatment from an immunologist.

Job prospects are good for physicians willing to practice in rural, low-income areas.

Employment and outlook information is not available specifically for allergists and immunologists. However, they are part of the larger group of "all other physicians and surgeons."

Other resources

American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)
555 East Wells Street, Suite 1100
Milwaukee, WI 53202
414.272.6071

American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
5550 Friendship Boulevard, Suite 310
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
301.968.4100

American Board of Allergy and Immunology
1835 Market Street, Suite 1210
Philadelphia, PA 19103
866.264.5568
215.592.9466

American Medical Association

American Medical Association - Medical Student Section

American Osteopathic Association
142 East Ontario Street
Chicago, IL 60611
800.621.1773
312.202.8000

Aspiring Docs Website from the American Association of Medical Colleges

Immunology Link

The Student Doctor Network

Washington Osteopathic Medical Association
PO Box 1187
Gig Harbor, WA 98335
425.677.3930

Washington State Medical Association
2001 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2700
Seattle, WA 98121
800.552.0612
206.441.9762

References

Career cluster

Health Science

Career path

Investigative (Science)

O*Net occupation

Allergists and Immunologists (29-1069.01)

O*Net job zone

Job Zone 5 - Extensive preparation needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.

DOT occupation

Allergist-Immunologist (070.101-102)

Strong Interest Inventory

Physician

Holland occupational cluster

Investigative/Social/Realistic

COPSystem

Science Professional
Service Professional