Advertisement

Speaking opportunities strengthen global and domestic partnership

| June 17, 2019

Speaking opportunities strengthen global and domestic partnership

We live and work in a global society. Allergists’ expertise goes beyond their local practices and research centers. Many of our members have the honor of speaking at national and international meetings in addition to the College’s Annual Meeting.

These opportunities are beneficial in so many ways. The College gains a reach beyond its membership. We partner with sister organizations and other groups for clinical and research collaboration for a global perspective. The ultimate benefit is the sharing of information for the benefit of patients worldwide.

I was fortunate, along with Michael Blaiss, MD, FACAAI and James Sublett, MD, FACAAI to participate in a joint symposium earlier this month with the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) titled Challenges in Pediatric Allergy. It was an honor to partner with EAACI and the exchange of knowledge was invaluable.

Over the last few months quite of few of our members have represented the College. We sponsored a sister society symposium titled Anaphylaxis and Allergy Emergencies in the Real World during the World Allergy Organization (WAO) WISC 2019 Congress in Beirut, Lebanon, in April. Speakers included Dana Wallace, MD, FACAAI, Anne-Marie Irani, MD, FACAAI and Bryan Martin, DO, FACAAI.

Additionally, these College Fellows spoke at International Meetings:

  • Santiago Martinez, MD, FACAAI – XIX SImposio Internacional de Alergia y Neumologia in Colombia
  • Mitchell Lester, MD, FACAAI – 2019 COMPEDIA Congress in Mexico
  • Gary Steven, MD, PhD, FACAAI – Skin Allergy Symposium in Philippines.

There is more to come. Later this year, Kathleen May, MD, FACAAI, Allen Meadows, MD, FACAAI and David Stukus, MD, FACAAI will speak at international congresses.

Collaboration is a two-way street. We will welcome members of WAO to our Annual Meeting in Houston this year for the WAO World Allergy Forum: New Frontiers in Atopic Dermatitis. WAO representatives also spoke at a forum on skin and food allergy at our meeting last year in Seattle. Each presentation, whether we are guests or our colleagues from other countries are invited to our meeting, strengthens our bonds with our international counterparts.

We are also increasing our presence domestically. The College offers a practice management symposium to regional and state societies. Mike Tankersley, MD, MBA, FACAAI and James Tracy, DO, FACAAI are scheduled to present the first College practice management symposium at the Intermountain West Allergy Association Annual Scientific Session this July.

College representatives will speak this year on various topics at meetings hosted by the Alabama Society of Allergy & Immunology, Arizona Allergy Society, Los Angeles Allergy Society, Long Island Allergy Society and Oregon Society of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Our presence at these meetings helps strengthen the College’s relationship with regional, state and local societies and promote practice management and advocacy education. We look forward to more opportunities for engagements like these across the country. Please contact Jennifer Pfeifer if your society is interested in scheduling an ACAAI practice management symposium at your meeting or Sue Grupe about securing an advocacy speaker to present on your program.

Todd Mahr, MD, FACAAI
College president

Advertisement