The Division of Allergy and Immunology educates Allergy and Immunology fellows, Internal Medicine and Pediatric residents, and third- and fourth-year medical students. Allergy and Immunology doctors see patients of all ages, so all Fellows who complete training must show competency in diagnosing and treating adults and children.
The Washington University School of Medicine Allergy & Immunology fellowship is a two-year ACGME accredited program. There is an optional third year for those who wish to explore research more deeply. Trainees learn from faculty in both the internal medicine and pediatric departments. Our goal is to develop future Allergy and Immunology leaders who are outstanding clinicians and pioneering researchers working to advance our understanding of the field. We provide clinical experience in a wide range of diseases, including allergic rhinitis, anaphylaxis, asthma, contact dermatitis, drug allergy, eosinophilic esophagitis, food allergy, hereditary angioedema, immunodeficiency, mast cell disease, venom allergy, and urticaria. The immunology clinic at SLCH is a Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic and Research Center with referrals for primary immunodeficiency.
Under the direction of Dr. Jennifer Monroy, MD, the program combines the talents of 12 full-time faculty in the division of adult allergy and immunology, five full-time faculty in pediatric allergy and immunology, and 13 associated clinical faculty. Our associated clinical faculty comprise one of the largest groups of volunteer faculty in the country.
| Allergy & Immunology faculty | Pediatric Allergy & Immunology faculty |
|---|---|
| – Peggy Kendall, MD – H. James Wedner, MD – Andrew Kau, MD, PhD – Jennifer Monroy, MD – Tiffany Dy, MD – Maya Jerath, MD, PhD – Aaron Ver Heul, MD, PhD – Ofer Zimmerman, MD – Khaled Abdel-Hamid, MD, PhD – Omar Elsayed-Ali, MD – Jeremy Katcher, MD – Zhen Ren, MD, PhD | – Caroline Horner, MD – Alysa Ellis, MD – Maleewan Kitcharoensakkul, MD – Brooke Polk, MD – Jeff Stokes, MD – Alexa Doss, MD – Rebekah Browning, MD, PhD |
We have two tracks available with one for those trained in internal medicine and the other in pediatrics. Those that have trained in medicine-pediatrics residency are able to apply to either track.
Our first-year fellows spend most of their time in our outpatient clinics and provide an opportunity to see patients from different socioeconomic backgrounds. We have specialty clinics devoted to patients with asthma, drug allergy, eosinophilic esophagitis, immunodeficiency, and urticaria.
During second year, fellows spend time dedicated to research and elective time that can be used to customize their allergy training. Fellows can rotate with ENT, rheumatology, hematology, pulmonary, and also with community allergists. There is ample opportunity for research projects in the fellowship program. Fellows can choose basic or clinical research and can work with a faculty mentor in our division or other divisions.
Our faculty have perform clinical and basic research in food allergy, asthma, drug allergy, hereditary angioedema, and immunodeficiency. Laboratory research in our division is top notch with state-of-the art laboratory and equipment available. Washington University has one of the best basic Immunology programs in the country, with faculty spanning many departments and divisions available to mentor our Fellows. Our division faculty have research projects evaluating chronic urticaria, asthma, food allergy, autoimmunity and immunodeficiency as well as basic immunology and microbiome contributions to disease.
St. Louis offers affordable cost of living and amenities found in a big city with a small-town feel. We have a world-class zoo and botanical garden. There are numerous parks and museums to visit. You can enjoy Broadway shows, symphony, and professional sports. Outside of St. Louis there are beautiful state parks great for hiking and camping
Our fellows, residents and medical students are encouraged to participate in a variety of organizations offered through Washington University School of Medicine that provides them with opportunities for professional networking and community engagement. A few of these include:
- The Washington University Minority Medical Association (WUMMA)
- The Residents & Fellows Diversity Initiative
- Washington University Medical Center Housestaff Auxiliary (WUMCHA)
- Gephardt Institute for Community and Civic Engagement
- Forum for Women in Internal Medicine (FWIM)
- Fellow in Training Committee with ACAAI and AAAAI
- Clinical Immunology Society
The Graduate Medical Education (GME) Consortium of Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital maintains all policies and procedures pertaining to fellows, including stipends and benefits.
The fellowship program is a collaborative teaching effort of the internal medicine, pediatric, and associated clinical faculty of Washington University School of Medicine. Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital are both located at Washington University Medical Center (WUMC), which allows our fellows to receive seamless and comprehensive training in broad ranges of both pediatric and adult allergy and immunology diagnoses.
Fellows rotate through three adult clinical sites located within the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County. All of our sites are within 17 miles of the main campus. These sites provide hands-on clinical experience where fellows learn to evaluate and treat patients who have a broad range of allergic and immunologic diseases with varying socioeconomic background. Second year adult track fellows will also work at John Cochran VA Hospital in the allergy clinic. All three locations have pulmonary function testing (PFT) labs.
In addition to the allergy and immunology clinics, the Asthma and Allergy Centers in West County and South County have an infusion center and a clinical research center. Fellows see patients and participate in other activities here several days per week. The center also has its own rhinolaryngoscopy suite, which offers on-site training opportunities.
Fellows will be able to see patients in dedicated pediatric allergy and immunology clinics in St. Louis Children’s Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital Specialty Care Clinics in St. Louis County. St. Louis Children’s Hospital is a Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic and Research Center for Primary Immunodeficiencies.
One of the tenets of Washington University School of Medicine is leading the way in innovative research. Our division has a strong presence in clinical, translational, and basic research. Our fellows have the opportunity during second year to work within our division or other divisions on a research project here at Washington University School of Medicine. For fellows with a strong interest in research, we offer a third year paid fellowship.
Our faculty basic research projects include microbiome in allergic diseases such as asthma, transcriptional networks involved in development and regulation of memory B lymphocytes, role of B lymphocytes pathophysiology in auto-immune disease, neuroimmunologic mechanisms that underlie atopic disease, receptor of Chikungunya and other alpha viruses and study how genetic polymorphisms of the receptor affect its ability to support infection, and the expression and functional characterization of variants of uncertain significance (VUS) mutations in complement factor H and factor I in patients with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. We participate in clinical research in asthma, food allergy, hereditary angioedema, drug allergy, chronic urticaria, and immunodeficiency. Recent projects include looking at reactions to COVID vaccines as well as the memory response to the COVID vaccines in our patients with primary immunodeficiency.
Community of Academic Physician-Scientists in Training (CAPSiT)
CAPSiT events unite physician-scientist trainees at all career stages to give them a unique identity and provide networking opportunities with peers and successful physician-scientists.
The Interesting Patient Study (TIPS)
The Interesting Patient Study (TIPS) provides Washington University clinical trainees in any department the opportunity get involved in basic research by more deeply studying the interesting patients that they see in the clinic or hospital using core facilities and local experts. TIPS is a low-time-commitment program, which is intended to be compatible with the busy schedules of clinical trainees. TIPS is supported by an institutional training grant for physician-scientist development from the Burroughs Welcome Fund.
Our fellows have the ability to work in specialty clinics in allergy and immunology along with clinics outside of our division. We have specialty clinics devoted to primary immunodeficiency including one specific to DiGeorge syndrome and chronic granulomatous disease. Also on the pediatric side are specialty clinics in drug allergy, eosinophilic esophagitis and oral food challenges. In the adult outpatient clinics, there are clinics devoted to asthma, drug allergy, and urticaria. Second year fellows have the opportunity to tailor their schedule and rotate in clinics that help them nurture their development as outstanding clinicians. In the past, our fellows have rotated in dermatology, hematology, rheumatology, pulmonary, infectious disease, and ENT. Many of the divisions have specialty clinics useful for a fellow. Examples in the ENT department include the Voice and Airway clinic to help diagnose vocal cord dysfunction or in the Nose and Sinus clinic to help treat nasal polyps and chronic sinusitis.
For a fellow interested in continuing on as a clinical educator in academics, Washington University Division of Medical Education offers Washington University Teaching Physician Pathway (WUTPP) with two clinical educator paths available for a second year fellow to participate. For information please visit:
During fellowship, the fellows provide consult services for allergy and immunology to both Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital. In the first year of fellowship, a fellow is on call for a month (Monday-Friday) at a time with weekends off. First year fellows are on call for three months in the year. Weekend call coverage is split amongst first and second year fellows. Typical consults seen on the service include drug allergy, urticaria, angioedema, anaphylaxis, food allergy, eosinophilia, asthma, and immunology. There is an immunology service at St. Louis Children’s Hospital that is shared between allergy and rheumatology. The fellow is responsible to write a consult note and follow the immunology patients as a consulting service when admitted. Second year fellows help to cover weekend call for the consult service at each hospital.
Apply
Currently, two internal medicine and one pediatric fellowship positions are offered each academic year. Although the fellowship program is combined, the selection process is separate for the Internal Medicine and Pediatric fellowship positions.
Residents who are trained in both Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Med/Peds may apply to both programs. The fellowship program participates in the ERAS/NRMP match program, and applications are accepted to fill positions for the following year.
Residents who have completed three years of training in internal medicine and pediatrics or four years in “med/peds” are eligible to apply.
Physician scientist training program (PSTP) trainees in either discipline may apply to the program after two years of training (short-track) and remain in the program for three years.
Requirements to apply for the fellowship program include:
- Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) application
- CV
- Personal statement
- Medical school transcripts
- USMLE Scores
- Minimum of three letters of recommendation (one being from the current chief of service)
- Milestones assessments (if available)
Applicants can begin applying via ERAS on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Adult interviews, which are presently conducted in person, and pediatric interviews, which are conducted virtually, will take place from late August through early October.
Contact
Emily Grobe
Fellowship Program Coordinator
egrobe@wustl.edu
314-454-7376