The specialist in Allergology and Clinical Immunology must have gained theoretical, scientific and professional knowledge in the field of pathophysiology, clinical and therapy of diseases with immunological and/or allergy pathogenesis; specific areas of expertise include the ontogeny and pathophysiology of the immune system, the functional and instrumental semeiotics of the respiratory, gastrointestinal and cutaneous systems, the related clinical, functional and laboratory diagnostic methodology, prevention and pharmacological and immunological therapy in Allergology and Clinical Immunology. In addition to a preparation in the field of Internal Medicine, he must also acquire theoretical, scientific and professional knowledge in the field of diseases with immunoallergic pathogenesis of various organs and systems.

The student will be able to compete for the diploma after completing the professionalizing activities.

As part of the training course, the student will have to learn the scientific bases of the type of School in order to achieve full maturity and professional competence that includes an adequate ability to interpret scientific innovations and critical knowledge that allows him to consciously manage both assistance and his own updating; In this context, participation in meetings, congresses and the production of scientific publications and periods of attendance in qualified Italian and foreign institutions useful for his/her training may be envisaged.

Educational objectives of the type of School: the Assistant in training must recognize the symptoms and clinical-functional signs with which immunological and allergy diseases manifest themselves and solve the related clinical problems; define the prognosis and plan the treatment of the aforementioned diseases; implement primary and secondary prevention measures in these patients; know the etiopathogenetic principles, plan and execute the therapy of allergic and immunological diseases; to carry out controlled and epidemiological studies in the field of allergic and immunological diseases; know, perform and interpret "in vivo" allergy tests and apply immunological, allergological, serological and cellular diagnostic methodologies.

Integrated training objectives (i.e. common trunk): the student must have acquired satisfactory theoretical knowledge and professional competence in the clinical and instrumental diagnosis and treatment, even in emergency-urgency conditions, of the most common internal pathologies. The student must acquire the fundamental knowledge of the pathophysiology of the various organs and systems, the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary for the recognition of diseases affecting the different systems of the body, the theoretical and practical knowledge of the main sectors of instrumental and laboratory diagnostics related to the aforementioned diseases, the acquisition of the ability to evaluate internal and specialist connections and influences. He must therefore be able to recognize the symptoms and clinical-functional signs with which diseases of various organs and systems manifest themselves, having acquired the fundamental diagnostic, therapeutic, psychological and ethical knowledge necessary for a global vision of the patient. To this end, the ability to clinically frame the patient on the basis of the anamnesis and physical examination must mature; develop critical and analytical diagnostic skills; become familiar with the main diagnostic procedures and laboratory-instrumental investigations; recognise and be able to deal with major medical emergencies; familiarize themselves with therapeutic resources in order to plan their optimal use and recognize their indications and contraindications, as well as the effects of interaction and possible iatrogenic accidents; acquire the fundamental notions relating to clinical research methodologies and pharmacological trials; know the fundamental problems related to prevention, public health and social medicine. The resident must have acquired satisfactory theoretical knowledge and professional competence in the recognition and treatment, in emergency-urgency conditions, of the most common pathologies. Finally, the resident must also know, from a clinical and therapeutic point of view, the most common pathologies of competence of the other types of the class.

Compulsory professionalizing activities for the achievement of the educational purposes of the type are the execution (assisted by a teacher) of:

• immunological, serological and biological fluid diagnostics (evaluate at least 300 dosages of immunoglobulins and specific IgE immunoglobulins, and/or complement factors, and/or organ and non-organ-specific autoantibodies);
• Cellular immunology diagnostics (evaluate at least 100 phenotypic characterization tests of cells obtained from peripheral blood and/or lymphoid organs and tissues, and/or bone marrow, and/or serous effusions, and/or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid):
• microscopic diagnostics (evaluate at least 30 cytological, cytochemical, and immunohistochemical preparations of blood, bone marrow or lymphoid organ samples, under normal and pathological conditions of immuno-allergy interest);
• "in vivo" allergy diagnostics (specific cutireactions and/or provocation tests in at least 200 patients);
• specialist medical acts relating to the classification, study and therapy of at least 400 patients with allergic or immunological pathology, necessary to achieve the following objectives:
  • Immunological analysis of the medical history.
  • search for suggestive elements for the presence of allergy-immunological diseases in the context of a general objective examination
  • planning of the diagnostic procedure concerning the main allergic and immunological diseases of at least 200 patients
  • correct interpretation of the results of the investigations included in the planning of the diagnostic procedure.
  • Recognition of situations requiring emergency therapeutic measures.
  • planning and execution of therapeutic, pharmacological and biological protocols of the main allergic and immunological diseases.
  • periodic monitoring, both clinical and laboratory, of the beneficial and undesirable effects of immunological, anti-allergic and biological drug therapy (monoclonal antibodies ).
  • Knowledge of the prophylaxis and treatment of the main infectious diseases.
  • Knowledge of the characteristics of antiallergic, chemotherapy, cytostatic, antibiotic, immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive drugs.
  • execution of specific hyposensitizing immunotherapy orally and subcutaneously.
  • active participation in the conduct, according to the rules of good clinical practice, of at least 2 controlled clinical trials.

Basic training objectives: to expand and deepen the fundamental knowledge relating to the organization of the immune system and its functioning; know the mechanisms of genetic control of the immune response, the immunological mechanisms of injury and tissue repair and the correlations with allergic and immunological diseases.

Objectives of the general training: to know the fundamental alterations of the lymphoid organs, the functional alterations and the control mechanisms of the immune system, as well as the determining causes, the immunogenetic substrate and the lesions corresponding to them; know the morphological pictures from an anatomical and histopathological point of view of the main immunological diseases and the prevalent lymphoproliferative diseases; know the pathogenetic mechanisms and immunological implications in the course of the main infectious diseases, including HIV pathology; know the inflammatory and immunological mechanisms of tumor growth control; know the mechanisms of action, metabolism, therapeutic and adverse effects of drugs and pharmacological and biological devices for the treatment of allergic and immunological diseases.