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Allergy & Immunology Fellowship

The division of Allergy and Immunology is a conjoint division of the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics of the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center. Its mission is to provide education in the field of allergy and clinical immunology to fellows, house officers and medical students of the SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, to provide and supervise patient care in this field to all patients at the State University and Kings County Hospital regardless of age or ability to pay and to advance knowledge of this field by continuing clinical and basic research.

Division has organized and supervised outpatient clinics, which are specifically staffed and equipped to diagnose and treat morbid conditions arising from allergic mechanisms and disorders of immune system. Division maintains a consultation service available to physicians in both hospitals and community.

Candidates for training in Allergy and Immunology must have fulfilled the requirements of the American Boards of Medicine and Pediatrics.

Fellowship training program will be 2 years in duration. During these 2 years, the fellows will gain knowledge in the field of Allergy and Immunology. Division accepts one fellow from each department of Pediatrics and Medicine every 2 years.

The fellows will gain the skills to diagnose the upper and lower respiratory tract related pathology, food and drug related allergies, skin conditions such as, but not limited to Urticaria, eczema and ability to differentiate these dermatologic conditions from others more appropriately cared for by dermatologist. Procedures include skin testing by prick, scratch, and patch testing, fiberoptic rhinoscopy, Pulmonary function testing, Bronchoprovocation and IVIG therapy.

Evaluation of Primary and Acquired Immunodeficiency disorders and a wide variety of pediatric rheumatology diseases is covered by Immunology program.

Fellows are expected to have detailed knowledge of the theoretical basis of various laboratory tests that are used in the practice of Allergy and Immunology.

The fellows will participate in a meaningful fashion, to the extent of their capabilities in research projects involving a clinical study, a laboratory study or combination of both.

Fellows at the end of their training program are capable consultants, able to review patients when so requested.

Fellows at the end of 2 year fellowship training should sit for the American Board of Allergy and Immunology exam.

Contact Information

Dr. Rauno Joks, Program Director
Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology

Dr. Maria-Anna Vastardi, Assoc. Program Director
Pediatric Allergy and Immunology