The Division offers post-doctoral training designed to prepare well-qualified trainees with either an M.D. or Ph.D. for academic careers in allergy and immunology and, more generally, in inflammation research. The program is strongly oriented toward research training ranging from purely laboratory or bench investigation to clinical investigations or therapeutic studies.
- Program Descriptions
- Program Location and Scope
- Conferences and Teaching Program
- Divisional Conferences
- Education in General Immunology
- Interdisciplinary Interfaces
- Stipend and Fees
- Application and Selection Process
- GME Policies
Allergy-Clinical Immunology
This program is ordinarily a three year commitment for physicians who have completed training in internal medicine and who desire sub-specialty allergy and immunology clinical training leading to board certification. An intensive supervised research program is included. The Division accepts both trainees who wish to prepare for a career in laboratory research and those who wish to prepare for investigation of patients in the clinical arena. During the first two years, approximately 50% effort is devoted to clinical training and conferences, with the remainder of time assigned to research instruction, closely supervised by one or more faculty members. During the second year, a mutual agreement is reached concerning the advisability of a third year of intensive research. An optional track permits pursuit of a PhD in Clinical Investigation for those willing to commit to an additional year of intensive training.
Research-Intensive Experience
For those physicians who have completed or are in the midst of clinical training in another specialty (e.g., pulmonary medicine, rheumatology, otolaryngology) and who do not seek formal clinical training in allergy and immunology, this program provides an intensive research experience. While these physicians may be assigned to one clinic session (1/2 day) per week throughout their tenure (if clinical credentials are available), the great majority of their time will be focused on laboratory or clinical investigation under the guidance of one or more faculty members. Designed for physicians committed to careers in biomedical research and wishing to pursue this goal with minimal clinical responsibilities, this track is not intended for those desiring board certification in allergy and immunology.
PostDoctoral Laboratory Research
This program provides laboratory research training experience for scientists with Ph.D.s, M.D.s or comparable advanced degrees. Such postdoctoral trainees will often apply to, and be accepted by the individual member of the Faculty with whom he or she desires to work. Applications for undesignated postdoctoral positions are also accepted. Such trainees will not ordinarily have clinical, teaching, or administrative responsibilities, except as may be mutually agreed upon prior to the Fellowship.
The Allergy and Clinical Immunology Division is located in the Johns Hopkins Asthma & Allergy Center, adjacent to the Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. The Bayview Medical Center, formerly Baltimore City Hospital and then the Francis Scott Key Hospital, has been a major teaching center for medical school undergraduates and house staff for many years and became wholly owned by Johns Hopkins in 1985. The 130,000 square foot Asthma & Allergy Center facility also includes the Pulmonary Division's research facilities, and the Rheumatology division's Vasculitis Center. The three divisions operate outpatient clinics and clinical research bringing these activities into the same building with laboratory research. The modern, well-equipped Hopkins Bayview Medical Center provides inpatient beds, including intensive care and a regional Burn Center.
Some clinical and research activities of the training program take place in other divisions of the University and at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. The Department of Pediatrics runs three half-day clinic sessions devoted to pediatric allergy and one session for evaluation of immunodeficiency states. These clinics provide an excellent training milieu for Fellows in Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Consultative services in allergy and clinical immunology are provided for inpatients in both the Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
Elective time in allied clinical specialties can also be arranged if desired. Pulmonary medicine, rheumatology, and immunology-oriented dermatology are well represented. Training in otolaryngology, general dermatology, and immunodeficiency can be provided as elective opportunities at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Conferences and Teaching Programs
A partial list of the extensive conference and teaching schedule within the Asthma & Allergy Center and the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions:
Asthma & Allergy Center
- Clinical Teaching Conference (lunch) Wednesdays, 11:50 - 1:00 p.m. (directed by Drs. N. Franklin Adkinson, Jr., Bruce Bochner, and Faculty)
- Divisional Research Conferences Wednesdays, 1:00 -2:30 p.m. (plus 3:00-4:30 p.m. as needed)
- Clinical Immunology Conference (lunch at 12:30) Fridays, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
- Immunogenetics Journal Club Tuesdays, at 9:00 a.m. (Dr. Shau-Ku Huang)
- Molecular Mechanisms Journal Club, 3rd Thursday of each month at 12:00 noon
- Summer Teaching Course for new fellows - Wednesday and Friday afternoons, July - August (Drs. Peter Creticos, Brendan Canning and Faculty)
- Asthma Center Symposium - One full day, annually in October
- Wednesday Morning Fellows Conference, 8:30-9:30 a.m. (September through December & April through June)
- Journal Club, 12-1 p.m. (once per month)
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
- JHU Immunology Council Seminar Series - Tuesday afternoons at 4:00
- Pulmonary Grand Rounds - Thursday morning at 8:00
- Pulmonary Combined Research Seminar - Thursday mornings at 9:15
- Immunology Council Minisymposium - One full day, annually
- Clinical Research Methods Course - Two weeks annually, in July for second year clinical fellows
- Pediatric Allergy Conference - Monday mornings
- Immunodeficiency Conference - Friday mornings
- Medical Grand Rounds - Friday morning Hopkins; Tuesday noon Bayview
Conferences are presently concentrated on Wednesdays and Friday afternoons. Fellows are given assignments for presentation at research and clinical teaching conferences at periodic intervals. Numerous optional conferences, which may be of interest to some Fellows, are available throughout the University (see above).
Education in General Immunology
During their fellowship period, all Fellows are expected to acquire an acceptable understanding of the science of immunology. After an initial appraisal of past experience and knowledge in immunology, each Fellow will be counseled privately concerning a recommended course of study in basic immunology during the remainder of his or her Fellowship. The Johns Hopkins University Immunology Council (IC) offers a wide variety of intermediate and advanced courses in immunology which can be taken during the Fellowship. In addition, IC sponsors a weekly Tuesday afternoon seminar where current immunological research is presented by University immunologists and invited guest scientists, an annual full day mini-symposium, and the Annual Kunkel Lectureship in Immunology.
Ongoing collaborative research efforts with the Pulmonary Medicine Division have resulted in a number of joint efforts studying the problems of hyperreactive and inflamed airways. Run by both divisions, a bronchoprovocation laboratory provides excellent facilities for training and research in mechanisms of asthma and other immunologic lung diseases. A collaborative research program has also been established with otolaryngology involving a major research effort in the pathophysiology of sinusitis. Joint research efforts between the division and other departments of the School of Medicine have been undertaken from time to time as needs and opportunities arise.
Stipends and Fees (JHU SOM Fellow Compensation Policy)
Stipends are paid to postdoctoral fellows at the current rate established by the National Institutes of Health for training programs and special fellowships. Based on years of completed postdoctoral experience, the approved stipends offered for 2008-2009 are $36,996 (year 0; recent Ph.D.s); $38,976 (year 1); $41,796 (year 2); $43,428 (year 3; most board eligible internists); $45,048 (year 4); $46,992 (year 5); $48,852 (year 6); $51,036 (year 7 or more). Stipends for postdoctoral training are obtained from a variety of sources. The stipend source and any associated obligations will be discussed with successful applicants prior to finalization of a fellowship offer.
Applications of candidates who are not United States citizens or permanent residents are special cases. Although their applications are certainly welcomed, the Division does not ordinarily have salary or stipend funds available for foreign applicants and must ask them to seek salary and travel support from sources within their own countries. The Division may accept foreign applicants contingent upon their ability to obtain such support. Additionally, physicians who are not graduates from United States medical schools require a special credentialing procedure before they may receive a clinical or clinical research fellowship appointment.
All postdoctoral fellows, spouses, and dependent children must be covered by hospitalization insurance. It is required that they subscribe to the School of Medicine trainee insurance plan unless equivalent insurance is already carried by the individual or by a sponsoring agency outside the University. Specifications of equivalent coverage are available from the School of Medicine Registrar's Office. Equivalent insurance must be underwritten by a United States based insurance company; foreign insurance is not accepted. The cost of health insurance premiums for individual fellows is provided by the Division; family coverage is the responsibility of the individual fellow.
Applications and Selection Process
Clinical Fellowship
Interested applicants for Allergy and Clinical Immunology Fellowship leading to Board Certification should apply via the ERAS site and follow the instructions here.
Research Intensive or Research Postdoctoral Fellowship
Interested applicants for other fellowship tracks (Research Intensive or Postdoctoral Fellowship) should complete an application for postdoctoral training (PDF of the Postdoctoral fellowship application; Microsoft Excel Version) and submit it with the necessary documents as far as possible in advance of the desired starting date. The School of Medicine Application for Research Fellowship can he found here (PDF).Selected applicants will be invited to Baltimore for an interview and further discussion of professional goals. Fellowship periods generally begin in July of each year, although other starting dates are possible, especially for fellowships without clinical responsibilities. Johns Hopkins and the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology have a special interest in encouraging the advancement of qualified women and minority applicants for training in allergy and clinical immunology. The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution, actively seeking individuals from under-represented minority groups for training programs. Grants for travel to Johns Hopkins for a full day visit to the program and its faculty are available to minority applicants. Applicants requiring travel grants should so indicate by letter with their application.
Additional inquiries concerning Divisional Postdoctoral training programs should be directed to Dr. Bruce S. Bochner, Division Director for non-clinical Fellowships, to Dr. Sarbjit S. Saini, Training Program Director, Training Program Director for A-I sub-specialty training, or to any member of the Division Faculty. The coordinator for the application process may be reached by email at cjohnb.@jhmi.edu..
Update 10/03/08
