Pediatric & Adult Allergy/Immunology Fellowship

The Allergy/Immunology (A/I) Fellowship Program under University Hospitals (UH) Cleveland Medical Center Department of Pulmonary & Critical Care has received initial accreditation by the ACGME, as well as Osteopathic Recognition. This is the first AOA-accredited osteopathic A/I program in the U.S. As of 2012, up to six physicians with AOA-accredited training in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics are eligible to participate. Drs. Robert Hostoffer, Devi Jhaveri, Haig Tcheurekdjian, and Shan Shan Wu serve as primary faculty for this fellowship program.

The two-year program ranks in the top 20% of all A/I programs in the nation. The rotations and experiences include both pediatric and adult medicine. Our goal is to use patient care as a means of practice-based learning. With this approach each patient is presented at the bedside, data is assessed and care plans are developed among the students, residents and faculty.

Following an introduction to A/I, fellows must demonstrate proficiency in the following procedures:

Allergen immunotherapy
Bronchoprovocation challenge
Delayed hypersensitivity skin testing
Drug desensitization and challenge
Immediate hypersensitivity skin testing
Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy
Oral food challenge
Performance and interpretation of pulmonary function tests
Physical urticaria testing

The primary training site is Allergy/Immunology Associates, Inc. with UH Cleveland Medical Center (CMC) and UH Richmond Medical Center, utilized for ambulatory experiences. Rotations in adult and pediatric pulmonology, dermatology, otolaryngology and rheumatology occur throughout both years in outpatient environments, including UH Cleveland Medical Center and MetroHealth.

Fellows perform supervised inpatient and outpatient consults at UH Cleveland Medical Center, UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, and UH Richmond Medical Center. Fellows will select and interpret applicable diagnostic tests, assess the risks and benefits of therapies, council patients about their disorders and coordinate the A/I care provided.

Objectives:

Overall goals of the program include the following:

To prepare an allergist/immunologist who provides expert medical care for patients with allergic and immunologic disorders.
To prepare a consultant and an educator in allergic, asthma, and immunodeficiency diseases.
To prepare an allergist/immunologist capable of managing both pediatric and adult with allergic and immunologic disorders.
To acquaint an allergist/immunologist of the limitations of the present knowledge and to develop the spirit of inquiry to expand the knowledge past present boundaries.
To prepare an allergist/immunologist to practice with an osteopathically-focused attitude.

Proficiencies:

HIGHLY DESIRABLE proficiency with:

Delayed hypersensitivity skin testing
Interpretation of provocation testing for hyperreactive airways
Nasal cytology
Patch testing
Rhinolaryngoscopy

MUST be proficient with:

Drug desensitization or challenge
Food challenge testing
Immediate hypersensitivity kin testing
Interpretation of pulmonary function tests
Physical urticaria testing
Writing allergen immunotherapy prescriptions
Writing immunoglobulin prescriptions

MUST HAVE direct patient contact evaluating the following diagnoses:

Anaphylactic
Angioedem
Asthma
Atopic dermatitis
Contact dermatitis
Drug allergy
Adverse drug reaction
Food allergy
Immunodeficiency
Ocular allergy
Recurrent infections
Rhinitis
Sinusitis
Stinging Insect Hypersensitivity
Urticaria

Direct patient contact evaluating the following diagnoses STRONGLY ENCOURAGED:

Autoimmune disease
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
Eosinophilic
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
Mastocytosis
Recurrent infections
Acute upper respiratory infection

Fellowship Contact Information

Robert Hostoffer, DO
Training Director, Adult & Pediatric Allergy & Immunology Fellowship

Devi Jhaveri, DO
Fellowship Coordinator
Phone: 216-381-3333
Email: Devi.Jhaveri@uhhospitals.org