Welcome to the Allergy & Immunology Residency Training Program website of the University Of Puerto Rico School Of Medicine! Our program is the first and only training program in the island and it’s located in the Puerto Rico Medical Center, which it is a large tertiary and supra-tertiary care facility. With affiliations with the University Hospital, San Jorge Hospital, San Juan VAMC and other community hospitals, the program combines the best of primary, secondary and tertiary care in a great educational experience.
The UPR Allergy & Immunology Training Program is fully accredited by the American Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). We recruit one fellow per year. The two-year training program provides the knowledge, skills, exposure and attitudes that will enable trainees to perform with proficiency as allergist /immunologist in diverse settings such as academic medicine, clinical research and private practice.
We are committed to training residents who will constantly pursue excellence. We strive to provide a challenging yet supportive atmosphere, where autonomy and supervision are in dynamic balance. Our program is a truly energizing training site, fueled by a proactive team spirit. The energy, enthusiasm and aptitude you bring will help our program continue to grow and flourish. Together, we can create the highest quality experience possible, while forming friendships that will last a lifetime.
ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY SALIENT FEATURES
- Established in 2009, it is the first and only Allergy & Immunology Training Program to be organized in Puerto Rico.
- Being the only referral center for allergy and immunologic diseases in Puerto Rico, the number and scope of patients seen is broad and varied.
- Opportunity of direct patient care to pediatric and adult patients with allergic and immunologic diseases.
- Opportunity to rotate in community-based Allergy & Immunology practices.
- Consistent source of good applicants for training.
- Excellent Faculty/Trainees ratio. All key faculty members are board-certified in Allergy & Immunology and are actively involved in clinical research.
- Opportunity to participate in clinical research and collaborative projects with faculty of other sections or Departments.
GOALS
The primary goal of the UPR Allergy & Immunology Training Program is to provide our residents physicians with a two (2) year, comprehensive graduate medical education experience in a learning environment which assist them in developing the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and professionalism necessary for a demonstrated sufficient competence to enter the practice of Allergy & Immunology without direct supervision. The program intends to provide state of the art clinical training in Allergy & Immunology in order to adequately diagnose and treat clinical conditions such as asthma, rhino-sinusitis, dermatitis, drug allergies, immune deficiencies and autoimmune diseases. The specialists may serve as consultants, educators and physician scientists for these conditions. The program also intends to develop a solid foundation on basic immunology in order to understand and manage these clinical conditions in patients of all ages.
CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
In order to achieve the goals and objectives for the training program the following experiences have been established for the purpose of teaching Allergy & Immunology fellows. These include: 1) Inpatient consultant Allergy & Immunology experience, 2) Ambulatory Allergy & Immunology experience, 3) Ambulatory rotations in other clinical subspecialties, 4) Didactic conferences, 5) Research experience, 6) Continuing medical education and society participation, and 7) Development of teaching skills.
1. Inpatient Consultant Allergy & Immunology experience. This rotation primarily entails the supervised evaluation and follow-up of inpatient consultations. Fellows have the opportunity to develop and refine clinical evaluation skills of patients with allergic and immunologic diseases such as establishing an appropriate differential diagnosis, diagnostic evaluation strategies and treatment plans, communicating with the referring physicians, and ensuring support for continuing care of the patients’ condition. The Allergy & Immunology fellow may be requested to perform literature research on topics appropriate to the case at hand. They also acquire the necessary skill in performing procedures including drug testing and desensitization, educating patients about the procedure, and in obtaining informed consent. Faculty supervision is always provided in developing these skills. The adult patients are seen at the University Hospital and the pediatric patients at the San Jorge Hospital.
2. Ambulatory Allergy & Immunology experience. Fellows attend Allergy & Immunology Continuity Clinics at the Medical Center. The ambulatory rotation includes pediatric and adult patients. They also have a procedure clinic devoted to the performance of procedures such as PFTs, patch tests, drug and food testing and challenges. Fellows also rotate through community-based allergy & immunology clinics alternating the experience between adult and pediatric patients. The San Juan VAMC Allergy & Immunology Clinic allows exposure to geriatric patients with allergy and immunologic conditions. All clinical experiences are supervised by dedicated attending faculty members.
3. Didactic conferences. The following conferences are held on a regularly scheduled basis with attendance required of all trainees and divisional faculty.
Clinical Conference (weekly): Attending physicians deliver lectures on core topics in Allergy & Immunology as recommended by the ACGME curriculum.
Journal Club (monthly): In this activity current research publications are reviewed in depth, emphasizing new tendencies. Journals on allergy topics alternate with Immunology topics. Community Allergist& immunologists are invited to join in the discussion of journals.
Research Conference (monthly): The objectives of this activity are to give an update of the research in progress, to offer feedback to the residents for their respective research projects, to design protocols for new research projects, and to discuss new ideas for future research projects.
Morbidity and Mortality Conference (monthly): The objectives of the activity are to discuss patients who are unique, interesting, or to discuss patients presenting difficulties in diagnosis and/or management in order to achieve a consensus after in depth literature review.
Question of the Week: Weekly sessions devoted to answering a important Allergy & Immunology topics and to review for he Allergy & Immunology Boards.
Internal Medicine Grand Rounds/Mortality Conferences (weekly): All trainees and divisional faculty are required to attend these departmental activities. These lectures help to keep abreast with cutting-edge topics in all disciplines of Internal Medicine.
American College and Academy of Allergy & Immunology Scientific Meeting (annual): All trainees attend this meeting in their two years. Poster or oral presentations are encouraged.
Case discussions (bimonthly): Clinical case demonstrating an interesting, unique or important clinical topic is briefly presented by faculty. Questions related to some of the clinical competencies are formulated. Fellows are encouraged to discuss the differential diagnosis, pathogenesis and treatment in addition to the clinical competency involved.
4. Research experience. An active research component is included within the training program. Allergy & Immunology Fellows work under close guidance of the research mentor in the design, development, discussion, presentation and publication of research projects. The goal of the research experience is for the resident to get acquainted with the methodology required for the conduction of research studies, the interpretation and synthesis of research data, and publication. The Section is involved in projects on asthma, urticaria, food allergy, and rhinitis and collaborates with other Departments of the Medical School and other UPR Campuses.
5. Continuing medical education and society memberships. In addition to participating in the organized didactic conferences established within the fellowship program it is also strongly encouraged that all fellows become members of the American College and Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI and AAAAI) as well as local allergy society (Asociación Puertorriqueňa de Médicos Alergistas (APMA)). Participation in the continuing medical education activities of these professional organizations helps to foster the standards of professionalism and augment the process of lifelong learning. Fellows are offered the opportunity to attend the AAAAI and ACAAI annual meeting and to present posters.
6. Experience in developing teaching skills. The program provides an environment for the fellow which fosters and highly regards the activities of teaching. This experience includes the education not only of medical students, physicians, and other allied health personnel but also the education of patients. Development of these skills requires the fellow to receive education and feedback in counseling and communication techniques. This training includes cultural, social, behavioral and economic issues.
RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENT
1. Participating Hospitals
The main participation hospital of the UPR Allergy & Immunology Program is the Adult University Hospital. This is a 350 bed general hospital which serves as teaching facility of the University of Puerto Rico School Of Medicine and its training programs. It is a government hospital administered by the Department of Health of Puerto Rico and a tertiary hospital that delivers health services mainly to the medically indigent population of Puerto Rico. Major services offered include Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Surgery, Physical Medicine and other subspecialties. All departments offer training programs. The appointed attending physicians are faculty members of the University Of Puerto Rico School Of Medicine.
The other participating institution is San Jorge Hospital, one the largest private Hospitals exclusively geared toward pediatric patients. Inpatient pediatric consults are covered by the fellow conducting the pediatric rotation. Consults are supervised by a Board- certified allergist & immunologist.
2. Ambulatory Clinics
The main facilities used for ambulatory medicine are those provided by the UPR School of Medicine. These facilities are contiguous to the University Hospital. The Allergy & Immunology continuity clinics are conducted Thursday in AM and alternating Fridays in AM. Procedures Clinics are conducted every other Monday in PM in the same facility. Trainees also attend community-based pediatric and adult ambulatory clinics at two private Allergy & Immunology practices. While at the San Juan VAMC, fellows attends ambulatory clinics, where they are exposed to geriatric aspects of Allergy & Immunology. In all clinical settings, trainees are under the direct supervision of faculty members.
3. Computer Facilities
Computers and printers are available for fellows.
4. Equipment
We have our own spirometer, patch test equipment, and immunotherapy preparation materials.
5. Office Space
Office space is provided to all trainees; this is located at the Section of Allergy & Immunology in the main building of the UPR School of Medicine.
FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION
For application forms, please contact our Division office a t the UPR Allergy & Immunology Division Office in room 825 on the Medical School , at (787) 758-2525, x1825.
Information about residents salaries and benefits, samples of standard contract and training manual are available for review through the Graduate Medical Education (GME) Office, at (787) 758-2525, x1385.
Requisites for Admission
A. Completing training in Internal Medicine or Pediatrics in an ACGME accredited residency program
B. Approval of USMLE Steps I, II and III
C. Full fluency and proficiency (written and spoken) in English and Spanish
D. Sending the following documents to the Section before October 31 of the year preceding the application:
- Complete application form
- Curriculum vitae
- Personal statement
- Three letters of recommendation, including one from the Internal Medicine or Pediatrics Program Director
- Certified copy of USMLE Steps I, II and III scores