Fellowships
Allergy and immunology
Mission
The mission of the fellowship program is to prepare specialists who are well-rounded in allergy and immunology. These specialists will not only provide expert medical care for patients with allergic and immunologic disorders, but also serve as consultants and educators while being critical in interpreting medical research in asthma, allergic and immunologic diseases.
Clinical training
The overall training is roughly divided into 50 percent direct patient care, 25 percent scholarly activity and research and 25 percent in educational activities. All fellows are adequately trained in system-based practices, professionalism, patient care, advancement of their medical knowledge, interpersonal and communication skills and practice-based learning.
Research training
Ample opportunities are available to pursue basic and clinical research. Fellows can team up with faculty to work on many different projects.
Basic research opportunities are available in the area of mast cell and basophil biology. Trainees have participated in studies defining two types of human mast cells, cloning of the gene(s) for mast cell tryptase and development of immunoassays for tryptase to serve as precise clinical indicators of mast cell involvement in human disease.
Clinical research focuses on training fellows in principles of clinical research including designing, collaborating, collecting data, interpreting and writing a paper. Each fellow has his or her own research project that they work on in addition to any projects they may have teamed up with the faculty to pursue. Clinical research opportunities in asthma, anaphylaxis, urticaria, eosinophilic esophagitis, mastocytosis, desensitization and allergic rhinitis are available to fellows.
Curriculum
Conferences
Didactic conferences are held on a regularly scheduled basis with attendance required of all fellows and divisional faculty.
Weekly conferences
- Clinical allergy/immunology journal club – Tuesday
- Basic allergy/immunology journal club – Friday
- Allergy/rheumatology Grand Rounds – Friday
- Medical Grand Rounds – Thursday
- Pediatric Grand Rounds – Tuesday
Regional conferences
- Virginia Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Society meeting – June, Virginia Beach, Va.
- Virginia Swineford Conference – March, University of Virginia
Annual conferences
During the two years of training, each fellow will attend both the national conferences (AAAAI and ACAAI).
Other lectures
During the first two to three months of the beginning of fellowship, a series of basic lectures are given by the faculty to orient and educate the first-year fellows on the most common conditions seen in the clinics. First-year fellows also attend graduate-level immunology classes offered by the School of Medicine.
Simulation Lab
Regularly scheduled simulation lab sessions are held for fellows as part of fellowship training to enhance patient safety and quality care.
Teaching opportunities
Opportunities are available throughout the fellowship training years to teach and educate residents and medical students. Fellows are encouraged to participate in and contribute to both pediatrics and medicine morning reports. Fellows are actively involved in teaching the house staff during the inpatient consultations and as the house staff rotate through our clinics.
Evaluations
Evaluations are performed on a semi-annual basis by the program director, with input from supervising faculty.
How to apply
The Allergy/Immunology Fellowship Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). This fellowship program participates in the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) and the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Please submit your fellowship application by July 15, 2012 for positions starting July 1, 2013.
Application to the fellowship program is highly competitive. Persons who wish to apply should be board-eligible or board-certified in pediatrics. Applications from women and minorities are encouraged.
Important Dates
July 1, 2012 - Candidates begin applying through ERAS
July 15, 2012 - Program deadline for completed applications
August-October 2012 - Interview cycle
Oct. 10, 2012 - NRMP rank order list opens
Nov. 14, 2012 - NRMP rank order list closes (9 p.m. EST)
Dec. 5, 2012 - Match Day
Please visit the ERAS website to submit applications.
Allergy/Immunology Fellowship Program leadership
Fellowship Program Director
Lawrence B. Schwartz, MD
Professor
Division head, Internal Medicine, Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology
Read more
Co-Pediatric Fellowship Program Director
Anne-Marie Irani, MD
Professor and chief
Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
Contact information
Santhosh Kumar, M.D.
Assistant professor
Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU
McGuire Hall Annex
P.O. Box 980225
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0225
Phone: (804) 628-1605
Email: skumar@mcvh-vcu.edu
Ernestine Kersey
Administrative assistant
Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU
McGuire Hall Annex
P.O. Box 980225
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0225
Phone: (804) 828-9620
Email: ejkersey@vcu.edu
For general information on the fellowship program, contact:
Jennifer Nelson-Dowdy
Pediatric Fellowship Program coordinator sr.
Department of Pediatrics
Children’s Pavilion, 2nd Floor, Room 2007
1001 East Marshall Street
P.O. Box 980646
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0646
Phone: (804) 628-2616 Fax: (804) 828-6815
Email: jnelsondowdy@vcu.edu
Access general fellowship program information such as contract and benefits, policies, housing opportunities, salary scale and required information on our Graduate Medical Education website.
View university policy on the selection and recruitment of residents and fellows 
.
Interested applicants should contact Ernestine Kersey if there are any further questions.
