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ELAINE TURNER, MD
ALLERGY PARTNERS OF RICHMOND 8485-B Bell Creek Road | Mechanicsville, VA 23116 | c 804.559.0370 14351 Summerville Court | Midlothian, VA 23113 | c 804.320.2419 7605 Forest Avenue | Suite 103 | Richmond, VA 23229 | c 804.288.0055 w www.allergypartners.com/richmond
75 percent
About of people with asthma have at least one environmental allergy — to dust, mold, pollen, animal dander, and the like. So allergists are intent on finding and dealing with the cause of asthma, a much more thorough approach and treatment.
Why should I see a board-certified allergist? Certification by a medical specialty board is a highly reliable indicator that a physician is extremely skilled, very knowledgeable, and has dedicated herself or himself to meeting the very highest standards in the practice of medicine. Board-certified physicians have taken that “extra step” to reach and maintain the pinnacle of their specialty. For allergists, the path to board certification begins with completing a four-year undergraduate degree and four years of medical school followed by a threeyear residency program in either pediatrics or internal medicine. If a physician intends to become an allergist, she or he pursues fellowship training, a two-year, hands-on experience in a teaching hospital, treating allergy, asthma and immunological disorders in both children and adults. After successfully completing the required education and residency and fellowship training, the physician then sits for a very thorough exam in either pediatrics or internal medicine, as well as a second rigorous exam in allergy and immunology. If she or he passes, it leads to board certification. In the area of asthma treatment, for example, there are specialists other than allergists who can treat the symptoms of this condition. But the difference is that allergists are trained to find the root cause, or “trigger,” of the asthma. About 75 percent of people with asthma have at least one environmental allergy — to dust, mold, pollen, animal dander, and the like. So allergists are intent on finding and dealing with the cause of asthma, a much more thorough approach and treatment.
So how does someone find an allergist who is board certified? The first step I recommend is to conduct research. For most, this means going online, which can be reliable as long as she or he uses a credible, third party resource such as the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (www.aaaai.org) or the American College of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology (college.acaai.org) – the two leading organizations representing only allergists and immunologists who are board certified. Both provide a “Find an Allergist” tool to assist in the search. But even after a person has identified a board certified allergist and scheduled an appointment, she or he should wait until after one or more appointments before deciding if the physician is best for her or his needs. Taking note of how thorough the physician is during the evaluation, such as whether or not she or he asks detailed questions while performing a thorough, unrushed examination using advanced techniques and state-of-the-art diagnostic tests to develop a personalized treatment plan that ultimately works goes a long way in establishing trust and assurance that the patient has made the best decision for her or his health.
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