Immunologist - Career Advice - Research and Development

Clinical Allergist

Immunologists focus on finding and implementing solutions to diseases affecting the immune system. Immunologists need to either complete a medical degree and a fellowship in immunology or a doctoral degree. Most immunologists work in medical or research capacities. Future Growth Very Strong

Immunologists specialize in immune disease and infection research, also applying treatment methods. They may work in medical facilities or laboratories. The educational requirements vary by place of employment.

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Alternative names: Clinical Scientist (Immunology)

Specialisations

Medical Immunologist - Medical immunologists typically work in private offices, clinics or hospitals, coordinating with other providers to diagnose and treat immunological issues. Job duties include conducting and evaluating diagnostic tests, balancing risks and benefits to establish treatment plans and conducting immunological therapies.
Research Immunologist - Research immunologists, on the other hand, generally work in labs. They conduct scientific studies examining cell reproduction and the diseases that affect the immune system, such as allergies and cancer. Some researchers also spend time in the field, examining subjects in their natural environments to gain a better understanding of elemental causes. A career in research immunology can be stressful and demanding, because research projects are usually funded by academic institutions that set strict deadlines and conditions.

Knowledge, skills and attributes

You will need to have:

excellent communication skills
the ability to organise and carry out research
teamworking skills
a high level of self-motivation
meticulous documentation and record-keeping
confidence in using technology and systems
flexibility and adaptability
the ability to use your initiative.

Differences
(Source: Cottonique)

ALLERGIST [below]

If you are experiencing a rash, itchy skin, seasonal nasal congestion, hay fever, frequent asthma attacks, or food sensitivities, you might need to consult an allergist. All allergists are also immunologists. Where as an allergist diagnoses and treats individuals with allergies, an immunologist will focus on broader, less frequent, and more complex immune disorders.

IMMUNOLOGIST

Immunologists are also allergists in their distinct ways. When you’re sick or have an allergic reaction, your immune system isn’t working properly. This is where immunologists step in.

They focus on allergic reactions and diseases and treat them through improved testing, diagnosis, and immunizations. To identify the allergens or substances that cause your flare-ups, immunologists perform a series of tests, which include blood testing, patch testing, pulmonary function testing, skin testing, or a nasal smear.

DERMATOLOGIST [on a separate page in this website]

While allergists/immunologists treat health conditions by understanding the wrongs in a patient's immune system, dermatologists, on the other hand, are the expert on all things skin-related.

Dermatologists usually conduct physical examinations on patients to identify and treat any skin abnormalities or issues. They assist patients and treat their concerns involving their skin, hair, nails, mucous membranes, lips, nose, and eyes, and others.

Aside from managing conditions like eczema, psoriasis, skin cancers, rosacea, or fungal infections, dermatologists also specialize in cosmetic procedures by providing products that rejuvenate the skin, diminish blemishes, remove scars and wrinkles, or reduce acne breakouts.

Duties and Tasks

As a healthcare scientist (also known as a clinical scientist) working in immunology you'll help to diagnose, monitor and treat patients with a range of immune system disorders, including: At work

allergy
autoimmune disorders - when the body's defence system attacks itself (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis)
primary immunodeficiency - where part of the immune system is missing or doesn't function as it should
antibody deficiency.

You'll work as part of a team, including immunologists (medical doctors specialising in immunology) and biomedical scientists, to research the causes of patients' immune system problems.

As a healthcare scientist working in clinical immunology, you'll need to:

investigate patients' immune systems and research the causes of any problems
undertake a range of laboratory-based activities to help diagnose, monitor and treat patients with a variety of immunological disorders, including HIV, leukemia and Type-1 diabetes
work with patients and run specialised patient clinics
help colleagues with the interpretation and validation of test results
help prescribe specific types of treatment for individual patients
discuss patient treatment plans with relevant staff such as immunologists, specialist nurses and paediatricians
produce reports and provide key information to medical staff about a patient's condition
maintain accurate and detailed records.

At a senior level, you may also need to:

teach or train medical students and other hospital staff
apply for and manage departmental and/or laboratory finances and resources
take responsibility for working towards targets
liaise with immunology colleagues on a regional or national basis.

Antibody
(Source: Flickr)

What to expect

If you're working in a laboratory-based role, you'll liaise closely with medical and other hospital staff. In a clinical role you'll have more direct contact with patients and their families, as well as other clinical professionals.
Self-employment is rare due to the specialised equipment and materials required to do the job.
In addition to clinical immunology, you can also work in academic settings and in industrial research.
You may need to visit other hospitals or clinics, but travel during your working day is uncommon. (

Antigen mindmapping
(Source: Flickr)

Education and training/entrance requirements

Medical Immunologist Requirements

Becoming an immunologist in the medical field involves an exhaustive training process. A student must earn a bachelor's degree preferably in biology or chemistry and complete four years of medical school to earn a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.). The M.D. graduate then fulfills up to seven years of residency in internal medicine followed by at least a 2-year fellowship in immunology.
Research Immunologist Requirements

A career as a research immunologist typically requires a Ph.D. in biology or microbiology. This entails first earning a bachelor's degree and then attending usually eight years of graduate school to complete the master's and doctoral degree programs. Research immunologists should have excellent communication skills, because they often collaborate with other scientists and oversee small teams of researchers.

A research immunologist should possess a doctoral degree, while a medical immunologist requires an university degree and completion of medical school with a lengthy residency and fellowship. These specialists could see a 14.9% increase in employment.

Employment Opportunities

Most healthcare scientists working in immunology are employed in immunology laboratories in hospitals.

Other employers include:

independent and academic laboratories within the pharmaceutical industry
government agencies
the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
scientific Civil Service.

You may choose to follow a research career, working in a university or research institute. Alternatively, you could work in industry for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, who employ immunologists to improve their understanding of the immune system and how to apply this to the development of new medical products and therapies.

Professional development

Once qualified, you must keep up to date with the ongoing developments in research and analysis techniques. Continuing professional development (CPD) is an essential and can include:

attending conferences workshops and lectures
publication in peer-reviewed journals
presenting research and papers at conferences
undertaking work exchanges abroad
applying for research grants.

Did You Know?

|
The Conversation 17 April 2017

University of Tasmania's "research on spotted hyenas set out to study them in both captive environments as well as more natural settings so that we could understand the importance of the environment in regulating their immune systems.

We found that basic immune defences were different in captive hyenas and wild hyenas. Wild hyenas have higher levels of several types of antibodies than captive hyenas.

Another aspect of the spotted hyena’s ecology we studied was the strict social order of their clans. High-ranking hyenas are nearly always females. Males emigrate from other clans and enter the new clan at the very bottom of the social hierarchy.

We found a link between the ranks of hyenas and their immune profiles. For example, high-ranking hyenas had higher levels of basic immune defences. This was true between females – where a higher rank correlated to higher immunity – and between males and females where the same was true of females with a higher rank.

This could be due to several possible reasons. One is that high-ranking hyenas get more food and thus have more energy available for their immune systems to use to fight infections.

In general the hyena immune system at the most basic level looks similar to other more well-studied species. But our research shows that the environment as well as social structures play a key role in regulating immune defenses."

An allergist is a specialist doctor trained to help people prevent, diagnose and manage their allergies and other immune system diseases. Allergists undertake highly-specialised in-depth training into the field of allergies and how environmental factors can impact on our immune systems. Future Growth Very Strong

The work that allergists and immunologists do can be so closely related that many employers hire the same person as their allergy and immunology specialist; however, it is possible to focus specifically on one aspect of this field. While allergists often focus specifically on diagnosing and treating patients with allergies, immunologists may concentrate more on medical research and treat patients with immune system problems.

Allergists focus on working with patients who are suffering from allergic reactions.

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Alternative names: Allergist

Knowledge, skills and attributes

Since Allergists spend a lot of time working with patients, they should be compassionate and have good people skills.

Only allergy specialists have the skills set, training and knowledge to be able to diagnose, investigate and manage patients suffering from the following conditions.

Allergic disease
Primary and secondary immunodeficiencies
Systemic autoimmune and auto-inflammatory conditions

Allergist testing
(Source: Adelaide Paediatrics)
Two common types of tests allergists perform are skin-prick tests and blood tests. During a skin-prick test, doctors prick the back of a patient with needles that have various allergens on them and study the reactions. For further analysis—or for people with very sensitive skin—a doctor may then order a blood test to determine allergies, if needed.

Duties and Tasks

Some allergists and immunologists share the same general tasks. They both see patients and use medical tests and examinations to diagnose conditions. They may also prescribe medications and discuss the diagnosis with the patient and their family. Those who specialize in research will spend time in laboratories performing tests and assessing results. Their objective is to understand specific allergies or conditions affecting the immune system, or to find ways to effectively treat those illnesses.

Reviewing the medical history of their patients
Determining what medical tests are needed
Providing a diagnosis
Reviewing treatment options with patients
Informing patients about how to prevent or manage their allergic reactions
Updating patients' medical files

Working conditions

They may work in clinics, hospitals or other medical facilities. Those who have their own office may work primarily during the day, while those who work for hospitals or other locations may also work evening and weekend hours.

Education and training/entrance requirements

After earning a medical degree, allergists are required to complete a residency and fellowship and earn a medical license. Board certification is also required.

Allergists are specialist physicians in Immunology and Allergy and will be Fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP) or hold equivalent specialist physician qualifications from an international body.

All specialist physicians in Immunology and Allergy will have completed basic physician training in either adult medicine or paediatrics before undertaking advanced training.