Atopic Eczema and Allergy in Early Childhood

3. That apart from simpler procedures, such as skin testing, the investigation of allergic disease requires the facilitiesof an immunological laboratory; 4. That, in spite of the wide prevalence and morbidity of allergic disease, its practice is largely private, there are few clinics, no full-time training posts in this country andthe moresevere manifestations which require admission to hospital find their way into departments of dermatology, ear, nose and throat surgery and thoracic medicine without the benefit of allergists on the consulting staff; and 5. That the absence of such full-time posts and of consultants in allergy make difficult the concept of advanced training under supervision as proposed in an ambitiousand comprehensive programme by The Australian College of Allergists. In all these circumstances the R.A.C.P. resolved on the recommendation of its Joint Specialist Advisory Committee to establish an advanced training programme in clinical immunology (including allergy) for the training of those physicians seeking future specialization in allergy. This programme would then consist of two years of basic training and three years of advanced training, which would consist of two years in the clinical and laboratory aspects of immunological disease and at least one year in full-time posts in allergy itself under specialist supervision. It is felt that this programme will (a) establish a sound basis of clinical and laboratory immunology to the practice of allergy; (b) widen the understanding of the mechanisms and manifestations of allergic disease in general; and (c) by establishing clinical immunology (including allergy) as an advanced training programme, identify this area as a speciality of internal medicine.