Future role of the allergist-immunologist.

The future role of the allergist/immunologist is dictated by current training and research, which promise to broaden the expertise of practitioners of this discipline. Specialists in allergy and immunology are certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology following specialized training in allergic diseases, clinical immunology, procedural skills, clinical principles and analytic methods, clinical laboratory test proficiency, and research. The expanding role of clinical immunology in the management of multiple diseases suggests that specialists in allergy and immunology will continue to broaden their expertise in the care of disorders with an immune component. The discipline of allergy and immunology offers a number of career advantages in both the practice of allergy and immunology and in the application of training in allergy and immunology to opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry and academics. Manpower assessments suggest that the number of allergists and immunologists in training are insufficient to meet the current needs.