Your Allergist May Be Trained But Is He Board Certified?

Allergies are common to the residents of America; these are the 6^th main cause of chronic illness in the country. If you are suffering from any allergy, know that you are not the only one as 50 million Americans are affected by allergies every year.

Sometimes allergies can be simple to handle but can become severe in some cases. In such cases, don’t waste time and see an allergist immediately. For diagnosis and treatment of an allergy, you have to make the best choice as it’s about your health.

Here is all you need to know to choose the right allergist.

Basic Academic Qualification

Allergies can be life-threatening and you deserve the best physician to help you with your allergies. We cannot afford to go to any random doctor, be sure if he has all the credentials on his portfolio.

A four-year premedical degree is a basic requirement for any medical field. After graduation, an immunologist needs to enroll in a medical school for another four years. These years of hardship and dedication earns him a degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD) or doctor of Osteopathy (DO).

Becoming an allergist is not a piece of cake. The journey does not end here.

Board Certified Allergist: Training and Certification

When you are scheduling an appointment with an allergist, be sure he has undergone special training.  After earning a post-graduate degree from medical school, a doctor needs to complete a three years intensive training program in internal medicine or pediatrics. If he passes the exam –either from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) or the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) –only then he qualifies for the next training.

A pediatrician who wants to have expertise in the field of allergy/immunology then enrolls himself in a two-year allergy training program called a fellowship.

The last thing you need to check is the certification. Your immunologist must have cleared the board-certification exam by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology (ABAI).

If your allergist meets all these requirements, he is a board-certified allergist now, and you are good to go.

Interpersonal skills

Academics do matter when it comes to search for the best doctor. But, some personal qualities are equally significant. A good doctor reduces half the pressure a patient goes through.

Looking at the credentials helps little to know if your doctor is compassionate or not. However, you will find this on the first visit only. We expect our doctors to be a cooperative and good listener as we confidante in them. We trust them with all our medical problems and difficulties. An immunologist must be friendly in manners as he needs to have an insight into your allergenic record.

Sometimes we may mistake the symptoms of a regular disease to an allergy. Your allergist must have a detailed history of your allergies –symptoms, family history, home environment –everything. An allergist must have the ability to think critically. He must know to comprehend the results of our allergy tests to suggest the best medication.

Conclusion

Now you know that your allergist must not only be trained and board-certified, but that he/she must also possess good communication skills. It can be a huge mistake on your part to pick an allergist without knowing their credentials.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment with the fellowship-trained and board-certified Allergist in Internal Medicine and Allergy and Immunology at Dr. Sneeze in NYC.