Should all 5- to 11-year-olds be vaccinated for COVID? Maybe yes, maybe no
I am a big believer in vaccines. I have taken all the vaccines suggested for my age. As I have written here recently, I took the booster of the Pfizer COVID-19…
I got a COVID-19 Vaccine Booster; I am not immunocompromised
In mid-August, I walked into a Fulton County, Georgia, health department site giving COVID-19 vaccines near my house. I told them it was my first vaccine, gave…
Yes, the College is STILL having a LIVE Meeting
The number one question I have been getting from you, the College membership, is “Does the College still plan to have a live meeting in New Orleans in November…
Is it time to sell your allergy practice?
Unless you are still quarantined due to COVID-19, you have probably heard or have been approached to sell your allergy practice. I am not saying it is right or…
From the Desk of the Executive Medical Director
Well, I did it. I went to my first in-person allergy meeting since the start of the pandemic, the Eastern Allergy Conference, to speak. It had been 15 months s…
I was sued for malpractice
OK, I got your attention. Yes, I was sued as a third-year pediatric resident related to an infant in the NICU getting too high a dose of potassium. The inciden…
Where are all the physicians going?
I have written several columns on burnout, as I believe that this is a major issue for allergists, as with all physicians. College staff sent me a fascinating …
Why we need physician leaders
A little over two weeks ago, ACAAI held its annual Leadership Summit. As far as I am concerned, it is the most important activity of the College each year. You…
Burnout in the age of COVID-19
Last July, I was supposed to speak at the Aspen Allergy Conference on “From Burnout to Wellness – Saving the Allergist.” Of course, COVID-19 came and, like so …
Are you being harassed on social media?
Social media has become a way of life for many of us, especially with increased use due to the COVID pandemic. Personally, I enjoy many aspects of it, mostly s…
Looking forward to 2021,“The Year of the Needle”
The year 2020 was the Year of the Rat in the Chinese horoscope. If you are like me, looks like the Chinese got that one right. What’s the sign for 2021, you ma…
From the desk of Executive Medical Director
Live, Virtual, or Hybrid – What Is the Future for Medical Meetings?The pandemic has changed so many aspects of our lives. One of the most dramatic changes for …
From the desk of the EMD: Impact of COVID on U.S. Physicians, Part 2
Last month in this column, I discussed the results of a survey of U.S. physicians looking at the effect of COVID on their practices and on the total U.S. popul…
From the desk of the EMD: Impact of COVID-19 on U.S. physicians
The College has surveyed allergists twice since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. I don’t need to tell you that the vast majority of you have been impacted i…
From the desk of the EMD: Mad as Hell
When I decided to go to medical school and become a physician, I did not think of it as a hazardous occupation. Yes, I knew I would be exposed to more infectio…
From the desk of the EMD: Thoughts on a virtual scientific meeting
I am sure you’ve heard the news that the College Annual Scientific Meeting will not take place in Phoenix, but will be coming to your home. I hope you will be …
From the desk of the EMD: “I have asthma, I can’t wear a mask.”
Last Sunday, I went to an open-air shopping center in an affluent suburb of Atlanta to buy a new iPad at the Apple Store. The Apple Stores in Georgia are still…
From the desk of the EMD: Reflections on the College COVID-19 survey
Hopefully you have heard and/or have seen the results of the COVID-19 survey sent to the College membership in late April. I want to thank the 382 respondents …
From the desk of the EMD: Coronavirus and the future of allergy practice
As I stay sheltered in place, I have had plenty of time to think about the “new normal.” In my last Insider column, I mentioned two things that I thought the C…
From the desk of the EMD: “Coronavirus Anxiety Syndrome”
When I wrote my editorial on COVID-19 for the College Insider on March 2nd, I was hopefully optimistic that we would not be seeing what we are unfortunately se…
