MED 545B Allergy/Immunology

Pre-requisite:  Credit in Medicine 531/532

Duration:  4 weeks, available all blocks

Number of Students:  Minimum 1; Maximum 1

Location(s): 

Tripler Army Medical Center - Dr. Edward Yang

Private Office - Dr. John McDonnell

Program Director or Coordinator:  Laurie Tam, M.D.

I.            Objectives

            This experience in allegy and clinical immunology will familiarize the student with the evaluation and treatment of common allergic and immunologic disorders: rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, urticaria and angioedema, Hymenoptera venoms, food, and drug allergy, aerobiology, and immunodeficiency states among other problems. The student will become familiar with the indications and methods of allergy skin testing, office spirometry, examination of nasal and sputum smears, pulmonary challenge protocols, and nasolaryngoscopy. The student will learn the techniques and theoretical basis for environmental control and allergy/immunotherapy, how to recognize the common allergic conditions, and when to consider more extensive allergic and immunologic evaluation.

II.            Method

            The student will observe, then practice, history taking in allergic and immunologic diseases and learn about skin testing and different environmental control measures in the clinical setting. Each student is expected to read chapters covering allergic disorders such as rhinitis, asthma, common allergic skin disorders, anaphylaxis, food and drug allergy, immunodeficiency diseases and stinging inset hypersensitivity from "Primer on Allergic & Immunologic Diseases" published in the Journal of the American Medical Association during the rotation. Additional references will be provided appropriate to the cases seen. The student will observe skin testing and anergy panel placement and reading, and be made familiar with writing and interpretation of immunotherapy extract prescriptions.

III        Evaluation

            1.         Observational evaluation by the supervising physician will assess the student's acquisition of knowledge and application to patient care. There will be no formal examination.

            2.         To obtain credit for this elective, all students must complete and return the elective evaluation from to the Department of Medicine.

Revised February 2008  MED 545-B