1. Job description
Allergists are specialists who treat allergies.
Work Tasks and Settings
Examine, evaluate, and diagnose problems involving the immune system
Treat diseases having to do with difficulty breathing, such as sinusitis, asthma, and lung diseases
Treat people with eye allergies and skin diseases
Treat allergic reactions to drugs, vaccines, medications, and certain foods and insect stings
Work in private practice or for hospitals and clinics, health maintenance organizations, medical schools, the
government, and industry
Work with thermometers, stethoscopes, and other medical instruments, x-rays and lab tests, medical histories, reports, and
prescriptions for medications
Abilities needed:
want to help the sick
have a good bedside manner
be willing to study throughout their career in order to keep up with new medical science
be emotionally stable
be self-motivated
make decisions in an emergency
survive the pressures and long hours of medical education and practice
adapt to the changing demands of a rapidly evolving health care system

2. Training
The following majors could
help you prepare for this
occupation:
. Biology, General
. Chemistry
. Medicine (Pre-Medicine)
. Medicine Clinical/Graduate
Studies
Allergy/immunology is a subspecialty Up to three additional years of
of internal medicine. It takes many training are required to be certified
years of education and training to
become a ALLERGIST/immunologist. It in a subspecialty. Those seeking
takes four years of undergraduate board certification in a specialty may
school, four years of medical spend up to seven year in residency
school, and then requires a three-year training. A final examination
residency in internal medicine or immediately after residency, or after
pediatrics, followed by a two-year two years of practice, is also
fellowship in allergy-immunology. necessary for board certification by
Acceptance to medical school is very the American Board of Medical
competitive. Specialists (ABMS).

3. Likes/Dislikes
Some Some
ALLERGISTS/immunologists ALLERGISTS/immunologists
may like: may dislike:
. helping their patients feel • the stress of being responsible
better for the life or death of others
. the satisfaction they derive • the years and expense of
from their work education
. the prestige and high earnings • emergencies and last minute
schedule changes
• high insurance
• dealing with or being managed
by healthcare systems
(paperwork load)

4. Salary outlook
• Estimated Salary: • Estimated Outlook (from the U.S. Bureau of Labor
• Economic Research Institute (survey of salaries in Statistics):
2008): • Number of Workers (surveyed in 2007)*
National Pennsylvania Per year Per hour Per year National Pennsylvania Number in this category
Per hour Starting salary $142,500 $68.50 $148,500 46,300 850 Average size of occupational categories
$71.25 Average salary $201,000 $96.75 $209,000 47,000 7,400*Allergist is included in the category:
$100.50 Salary with experience $246,500 $118.50 Internists, general
$256,500 $123.25National average for all • Employment Outlook (economic projections made in
occupations included in this survey: $46,000/year 2006)*
or $22.00/hour Projected growth per year 1.42% Average growth
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (survey of salaries in for all occupations 1.0% Number of new jobs per
2007): year 700
National Pennsylvania Per year Per hour Per year • This category is:
Per hour Average salary $167,500 $80.50 $20,500 • Medium (25,000 to 149,999)
$9.75National average for all occupations included
in this survey: $38,000/year or $18.25/hour • Expected to Grow Moderately (0.9% to 1.9%
• Other Information: growth)
Physicians, including
ALLERGISTS/immunologists, have among the
highest earnings of any occupation. Self-employed
physicians, those who own or are part owners of
their medical practice, generally have higher
incomes than salaried physicians. Earnings vary
according to number of years in
practice, geographic region, hours worked, and skill
and professional reputation.

5. Related Civilian and Military
Occupations
Pediatric Allergists diagnose Military occupational clusters
and treat children with related to Allergist:
diseases and conditions with • Physicians and Surgeons
allergic or immunologic causes. • The military specific
Examine children using medical occupations related to
instruments and Allergist:
equipment, patch tests, and
blood tests as diagnostic aids. • ARMY Emergency Physician
Other Related Occupations: • Internist
• Immunologist • NAVY Family Physician
• Internist • General Practice Medical
• Physician Officer
• Emergency Medical Physician • AIR FORCE Allergist
• General Practitioner • General Practice Physician
• Family Practitioner • COAST GUARD Physician
• Pediatrician

6. More Information
For more information about Allergist you may contact: Use these reference numbers to find information in
books about Allergist:
• American Medical Association • Dictionary of Occupational Titles #: 070.101-102
515 North State Street
Chicago, IL 60610 • O*Net #: 29-1063.00
http://www.ama-assn.org/
• US Dept of Ed Career Cluster: Health Science
• American College of Physicians • Guide to Occupational Exploration #: 02.03.01
190 N Independence Mall West
Philadelphia, PA 19106-1572
http://www.acponline.org/
• American Academy of Pediatrics
141 Northwest Point Blvd
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-1098
http://www.aap.org/
• American Board of Allergy and Immunology
111 South Independence Mall East
Suite 701
Philadelphia, PA 19106
http://www.abai.org