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The Use and Teaching of Telemedicine in Allergy/Immunology Training Programs

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

The use of telemedicine has greatly increased since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This review discusses the types of telemedicine, current telehealth curricula in medical education, and benefits and disadvantages of incorporation of telemedicine into Allergy/Immunology training programs.

Recent Findings

The majority of Allergists/Immunologists use telemedicine in their clinical practice with leaders in graduate medical education recommending inclusion of telemedicine in training. Fellows-in-training reported that use of telemedicine in Allergy/Immunology training during the pandemic mitigated some concerns for lack of adequate clinical experience. Still, no standardized curriculum for telemedicine training in Allergy/Immunology exists, although curricula from internal medicine and primary care residencies can provide a framework for incorporation of telemedicine training into fellowship. Benefits of telemedicine in Allergy/Immunology training include enhanced immunology training, home environment monitoring, and flexibility to reduce physician burnout while disadvantages include limited physical examination skill building and lack of a standardized curriculum.

Summary

As telemedicine has been widely accepted in medicine with high patient satisfaction, it is necessary to incorporate a standardized telehealth curriculum in Allergy/Immunology fellowship training, both as a tool for patient care as well as trainee education.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Allergy and Immunology, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Emily Robbins

  2. Division of Allergy/Immunology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2300 M St NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC, 20037, USA

    Kirti Johal & Anjeni Keswani

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  1. Emily Robbins
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Correspondence to Anjeni Keswani.

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Robbins, E., Johal, K. & Keswani, A. The Use and Teaching of Telemedicine in Allergy/Immunology Training Programs. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 23, 463–470 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-023-01096-9

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