Life As an Allergist or Immunologist

Job Description & Duties Diagnose, treat, and help prevent allergic diseases and disease processes affecting the immune system.

Allergist or Immunologist Responsibilities

• Present research findings at national meetings or in peer-reviewed journals.
• Document patients’ medical histories.
• Prescribe medication such as antihistamines, antibiotics, and nasal, oral, topical, or inhaled glucocorticosteroids.
• Conduct laboratory or clinical research on allergy or immunology topics.
• Provide therapies, such as allergen immunotherapy or immunoglobin therapy, to treat immune conditions.
• Interpret diagnostic test results to make appropriate differential diagnoses.

Skills Needed to be an Allergist or Immunologist

These are the skills Allergists and Immunologists say are the most useful in their careers:

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Types of Allergist or Immunologist Jobs

• Physician, Allergist-Immunologist
• Allergist
• Director, Division of Allergy and Immunology
• Physician/Allergy/Immunology
• Clinical Immunologist

Are There Job Opportunities for Allergists and Immunologists?

There were about 372,400 jobs for Physicians and Surgeons in 2016 (in the United States).

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 11.4% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 42,300 new jobs for Allergists and Immunologists by 2026. There will be an estimated 14,300 positions for Allergist or Immunologist per year.

The states with the most job growth for Physicians and Surgeons are New York, Florida, and Texas.

Watch out if you plan on working in Connecticut, Rhode Island, or South Dakota. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for Allergists and Immunologists

The typical yearly salary for Physicians and Surgeons is somewhere between $60,280 and $208,000. An Allergist or Immunologist median salary is $200,890.

How much do Physicians and Surgeons make in each U.S. state?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
New Hampshire	$275,840
North Dakota	$266,510
Maine	$257,550
Montana	$247,260
Minnesota	$245,040
Alaska	$244,220
Idaho	$241,670
Wisconsin	$239,610
Washington	$239,080
Indiana	$237,470
Georgia	$235,060
Wyoming	$234,610
Tennessee	$231,960
New Mexico	$229,100
Arizona	$229,090
Hawaii	$228,470
South Dakota	$227,710
Nevada	$227,500
Kentucky	$223,770
West Virginia	$222,270
Connecticut	$221,870
Colorado	$219,310
Iowa	$219,300
Utah	$218,210
Delaware	$216,600
Ohio	$212,160
Rhode Island	$209,580
New Jersey	$208,820
California	$208,740
Massachusetts	$207,990
Florida	$205,020
Missouri	$203,440
Oregon	$202,750
Texas	$199,370
Virginia	$199,080
North Carolina	$198,040
Maryland	$196,210
Pennsylvania	$195,810
Kansas	$191,430
South Carolina	$185,210
Louisiana	$183,920
Illinois	$183,780
Alabama	$183,510
District of Columbia	$182,910
Michigan	$181,760
Vermont	$176,520
Mississippi	$174,340
New York	$171,060
Arkansas	$165,290
Nebraska	$161,880
Oklahoma	$155,130

What Tools & Technology do Allergists and Immunologists Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Allergists and Immunologists:

• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint

How do I Become an Allergist or Immunologist?

What education or degrees do I need to become an Allergist or Immunologist?

How Long Does it Take to Become Allergist or Immunologist?

Where Allergists and Immunologists Work

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons