Activities	According to the American Medical Association, Careers in Medicine, an Immunologist is a physician who is trained in the evaluation, physical and laboratory diagnosis and management of disorders involving the immune system. Selected examples of such conditions include: asthma, anaphylaxis, rhinitis, eczema and adverse reactions to drugs, foods and insect stings as well as immune deficiency diseases (both acquired and congenital), defects in host defense and problems related to autoimmune disease, organ transplantation or malignancies of the immune system.
Outlook	Faster-than-average-job growth
Median Income	$166,400+ per year in 2008
Work Context & Conditions	Many immunologists are involved in research work and/or manage research laboratories According to Occupational Outlook Handbook, "many physicians work in small private offices or clinics, private offices or clinics,"
Minimum Education Requirements	M.D. Ph.D.
Skills	Learning Strategies, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Instructing, Active Listening, Writing, Time Management, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Science
Abilities	Oral Expression, Deductive Reasoning, Problem Sensitivity
Interviews	Kedar Narayan Jennifer Sargent

Job Category		Life, Physical, & Social Science
Job Description		An immunologist is a research scientist who investigates the immune system of vertebrates (including the humans). The immune system is a complex system of bone marrow-derived cells (often referred to as white blood cells) that mount protective responses to pathogens (disease-causing organisms) such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Immunologists include research scientists (Ph.D.) who work in laboratories carrying out studies of the cells, genes, proteins, and cellular interactions necessary for a healthy immune system. They also study diseases that disrupt normal immunity. Immunologists also include physicians (M.D.) who, for example, treat patients with immune system disorders such as allergies and autoimmune disease. Some immunologists are physician-scientists who combine laboratory research with patient care. According to the AAAAI, "an allergist/immunologist is a physician certified in either internal medicine or pediatrics, who has completed an additional two years of training in allergy and immunology at an accredited training program and passed the examination given by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology (ABAI). The allergist/immunologist is uniquely trained in: Allergy testing (skin, in-vitro) History-allergy test correlation Bronchoprovocation testing (e.g. exercise, methacholine) Environmental control instructions Inhalant immunotherapy Immunomodulator therapy (e.g. anti-IgE, IVIG) Venom immunotherapy Food and drug challenges Drug desensitization Evaluation of immune competence Education (disease, medications, monitoring) Management of chronic or recurrent conditions where allergy is not always identified: rhinosinusitis, conjunctivitis, asthma, cough, urticaria/angioedema, eczema, anaphylaxis According to the AAAAI, “the immune system is complex and involves the orchestrated interactions of billions of cells communicating both directly and over very long distances (within the body). Immunologists study every aspect of this system, from the behavior of genes inside cells, to the proteins they secrete to combat infection, to the molecular signals in blood vessels that tell cells where to go to find and destroy or remove an invading pathogen. Because the immune system is designed to detect and destroy invading organisms, it has had to develop a means for distinguishing “self” (the body’s own cells and proteins) from non-self e.g., bacterial cells and toxins. When this system of discrimination fails, autoimmunity can develop. Because this system usually works well, organ transplants from one person to another are problematic. The immune system recognizes the transplant as foreign and seeks to destroy it. It is believed that emerging cancer cells are often destroyed by the immune system because they are recognized as foreign, and much current research focuses on developing methods to enlist the help of the immune system in destroying residual cancer cells from patients who have been treated by surgery and/or chemotherapy. Autoimmunity, transplantation biology, tumor immunology, allergy, resistance to infectious diseases including vaccine development – all of these are aspects of immunology on which immunologists (including those with Ph.D and/or M.D. degrees) work.” According to the AAAAI, physicians specializing “in allergy and immunology may manage patients with the following types of problems: diseases of the respiratory tract, such as allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis; skin rashes, including atopic dermatitis or contact dermatitis; gastrointestinal disorders caused by immune responses to foods; adverse reactions to drugs, other pharmacologic agents and diagnostic testing materials; diseases associated with autoimmune responses to self-antigens; symptoms or disorders caused by immunodeficiency; stem cell, bone marrow and organ transplantation.”
Working Conditions		According to the AAAAI, many immunologists who are involved in research work and/or manage research laboratories in universities, medical schools, research institutes, or biotechnology companies. They are assisted by highly trained technicians, Ph.D. students, and postdoctoral fellows who participate in the design and execution of the laboratory’s research. Many physicians work in small private offices or clinics, often assisted by a small staff of nurses and other administrative personnel. Others work at universities and medical centers.
Salary Range		According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, Report on Medical school faculty salaries, 2007-2008, a Ph.D. immunologists on the basic science faculties of universities and/or medical schools salary ranged between $105,000 to $247,000, depending on academic rank, with at least one quarter of that income coming from research grants awarded to the immunologist.

Education Required		An advanced degree, such as a Ph.D. or M.D. degree, is usually necessary for independent research and is required for advancement to faculty and administrative positions. A master's degree (M.S./M.A.) is sufficient for some jobs in industry. Advanced degree (M.A. and Ph.D.) programs include classroom work, laboratory research, and a thesis or dissertation. In addition to their formal education, most immunologists with Ph.D. degrees spend 2 to 4 years in a postdoctoral training fellowship working in an immunology research laboratory under the supervision of a senior scientist. Ph.D. immunologists with postdoctoral research experience take faculty positions at colleges, universities, and medical schools, or take research scientist positions at medical research institutes or in industry (pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies). The training path for a physician with specialization in immunology is different from that of an immunologist with Ph.D. According to the AAAAI, "typically, an Allergy/Immunology fellowship involves 24 months of required clinical education and research after completion of residency in internal medicine or pediatrics or a medicine-pediatrics program. FITs (Fellows in Training) who have completed the required training may take the certification examinations given by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology (ABAI)."
Recommended High School Courses		Biology, Mathematics, English, Chemistry
Postsecondary Instructional Programs		Education and Training, English Language, Personnel and Human Resources, Administration and Management, Mathematics, Communications and Media, Chemistry, Biology, Computers and Electronics, Medicine and Dentistry, Clerical
Certification and Licensing		"The ABAI believes that all allergists/immunologists must be familiar with the fundamental elements of the immune system, such as the types of immune cells and the anatomical organs that constitute the immune system, the circulation patterns of immune cells, the biologic roles of products of the immune system, the abnormal conditions of the immune system that constitute immunopathology, and the biology of inflammation. Moreover, the candidate will be expected to be proficient in understanding the molecular basis of allergic and other immune reactions, including interaction between immune cells, cell membrane signal transduction pathways, gene expression, cytokine release, receptor targeting, cellular differentiation and cell death. Proficiency must be demonstrated in the diagnosis and treatment of allergic and other immunologic diseases.   Because the ABAI is a conjoint board representing pediatric and adult medicine, the candidate must master the spectrum of allergic and immunologic diseases as it presents in children and adults.  In addition to a familiarity with allergic diseases, including allergic rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, and urticaria, the candidate must be knowledgeable in autoimmune conditions.  An understanding of immunodeficiency states is required, including congenital disorders, absence of specific complement components, lack of specific neutrophil function, absence of specific adhesive cellular glycoproteins, and dysfunctional states of the immune system produced by external agents. Candidates must also be familiar physiological conditions and treatment of bone marrow and solid organ transplantation and their impact on aspects of the immune system other than the intended target.   It is important for the candidate to demonstrate proficiency in the proper selection of appropriate clinical and laboratory tests, which aid the formulation of a clinical diagnosis based upon first obtaining a detailed medical history and performing a complete physical examination. The candidate must understand the scientific basis of the following list (non-inclusive) of tests: ---serum immunoglobulin determination, ---functional antibody measurement, ---complement component and functional assays, ---lymphocyte subset analysis using monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry, ---lymphocyte proliferation assays with mitogen and antigens, and assessment of neutrophil and monocyte chemotaxis, ---phagocytosis, and killing.  In addition, the candidate must be familiar with the use of molecular diagnostic techniques such as: ---the binding of ligands to nucleic acid or polypeptide sequences.  ---DNA replication technology ---the molecular basis for immediate hypersensitivity skin testing in the context of the detailed molecular events occurring in the tissue mast cell and blood basophil ---skin testing for T cell competence with recall antigens in relation to antigen presentation, cytokine secretion and interaction, and lymphocyte subset activation and function.  Candidates must also have familiarity with the misuse of standard tests and with controversial tests in allergy and immunology and must understand the principles and analytic methods employed in experimental clinical studies. They must be able to determine the diagnostic utility of specific tests and evaluate the safety, toxicity, efficacy, and outcomes of treatments and drugs for allergic and immunologic disease. Candidates must be familiar with the principles and methods employed in epidemiologic studies.   A corollary of the competence of the candidate is the knowledge of appropriate treatment options for example, treatment options for asthma, allergic rhinitis, and various immunologic diseases due to antibody deficiency, immunodeficiencies and gene therapies for congenital immune disorders.

Interest Area		Investigative Involves working with ideas and requires an extensive amount of thinking.
Work Values		Social Status Looked up to by others in their company and their community. Achievement Get a feeling of accomplishment. Variety Do something different every day. Creativity Try out your own ideas. Security Have steady employment. Ability Utilization Make use of individual abilities. Working Conditions Good working conditions. Activity Busy all the time. Autonomy Plan work with little supervision. Recognition Receive recognition for the work you do. Compensation Get paid well in comparison with other workers. Responsibility Make decisions on your own.
Skills		Learning Strategies Use multiple approaches when learning or teaching new things. Monitoring Assess how well someone is doing when learning or doing something. Critical Thinking Use logic and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches. Instructing Teach others how to do something. Active Listening Listen to what other people are saying and ask questions as appropriate. Writing Communicate effectively with others in writing as indicated by the needs of the audience. Time Management Manage one's own time and the time of others. Active Learning Work with new material or information to grasp its implications. Complex Problem Solving Solving novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings. Judgment and Decision Making Be able to weigh the relative costs and benefits of a potential action. Coordination Adjust actions in relation to others' actions. Reading Comprehension Understand written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. Speaking Talk to others to effectively convey information. Science Use scientific methods to solve problems.
Abilities		Oral Expression Able to convey information and ideas through speech in ways that others will understand. Deductive Reasoning Able to apply general rules to specific problems to come up with logical answers, including deciding whether an answer makes sense. Problem Sensitivity Able to tell when something is wrong or likely to go wrong. This doesn't involve solving the problem, just recognizing that there is a problem.

Related Jobs		Veterinarian, Epidemiologist, Pharmacist, Physician, Surgeon, Dentist
Job Outlook		According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, "employment of physicians and surgeons will grow faster than average for all occupations through the year 2018 due to continued expansion of health care industries. The growing and aging population will drive overall growth in the demand for physician services, as consumers continue to demand high levels of care using the latest technologies, diagnostic tests, and therapies." In addition to employment growth, job openings will result from the need to replace physicians and surgeons who retire during this period.
More Information		Association of American Colleges and Universities, American Medical Association, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, American Board of Allergy and Immunology, American Association of Immunologists, Inc.
References		Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Physicians and Surgeons, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos074.htm O*NET Online detailed report on Medical Scientist at http://online.onetcenter.org/link/details/19-1042.00 American Board of Allergy & Immunology at http://www.abai.org/Sig.html American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology at http://www.aaaai.org/professionals/resources/rgce/