Membership Recruitment Information

You are invited to become a member of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Mission of the College

The ACAAI is a professional association of 4,000 allergists/immunologists. Established in 1942, the ACAAI is dedicated to improving the quality of patient care in allergy and immunology through research, advocacy and professional and public education. The ACAAI's goals are to:

  • Improve the quality of patient care in allergy, asthma and immunology
  • Maintain and advance the diagnostic and therapeutic skills of members and foster their appropriate application
  • Sponsor and conduct educational and scientific programs and publications
  • Develop and disseminate educational information for members, patients, health plan purchasers and administrators, and other physicians and health professionals

Membership Applications

The ACAAI Membership Application is available online to print out and mail to the Executive Office:

American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
85 West Algonquin Road, Suite 550
Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Phone: (847) 427-1200
Fax: (847) 427-1294

E-Mail: mail@acaai.org

Benefits of College Membership

There are many reasons to join with your colleagues in the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. 

  • An opportunity to be involved in a prestigious specialty association concerned with the unique needs of the allergist-immunologist.
  • Valuable networking opportunities and camaraderie among members.
  • Our high-quality annual scientific meeting featuring five days of plenary sessions, symposia, workshops and social events.
  • Opportunities to earn continuing medical education credits through live courses, Web-based programs and published materials.
  • Reduced registration fee for the ACAAI Annual Meeting, and discounts on College products and services.
  • A subscription to the monthly scientific journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, bi-monthly ACAAI printed newsletter and bi-weekly electronic newsletter (eNEWS).
  • Clinical practice assistance via practice parameters and disease management protocols.
  • The listing of each member's practice on the Web-based ACAAI allergist locator (physician finder service) and in our printed membership directory.
  • Special benefits for fellows-in-training, including reduced dues, travel grants to attend the annual meeting, special programs at the annual meeting, the Von Pirquett Awards for poster presentations, and a chance to shape the future of the specialty.
  • Representation of the specialty to managed care organizations, consumer and patient groups, other medical organizations such as the American Medical Association and, through JCAAI, government and regulatory agencies.

In addition, other services and activities provided by the College include:

  • A soon-to-be-launched multimillion dollar national allergist marketing campaign.
  • Outstanding public education programs, including the nationwide local asthma screening initiative.  This year, the ACAAI Nationwide Asthma Screening Program won the Public Relations Society of America's top award ("Skyline Award") in the category of Public Service by an Association.
  • Representation of the interests of the specialty to national consumer media. 
  • The ACAAI Job Source service for online posting and searching employment opportunities within the specialty.
  • The annual Doctors' Job Fair.

Categories of Membership

The categories of membership and their requirements are provided below.

Fellow:
To qualify as a Fellow, an applicant shall . . .

Be graduated from a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), an accredited school of osteopathy or an equivalent foreign medical institution.

  1. Be fully licensed to practice medicine in a state of competent jurisdiction.
  2. Be certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology, a conjoint board of the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Pediatrics.
  3. Exhibit superior proficiency in research or in the practice of allergy-immunology as demonstrated by (a) teaching in a recognized medical school or affiliated hospital, for a period of not less than two years immediately preceding application, or (b) devoting at least 75 percent of his or her professional activity to the practice of allergy-immunology for a period of not less than two years immediately preceding application.
  4. Be of high moral, ethical and professional standing as attested to by three physicians familiar with the applicant, at least one of whom is a Fellow of the College.
  5. Applicants trained and residing in a foreign country shall not be required to be certified by the American Board of Allergy & Immunology, but shall be considered on an individual basis. However, foreign applicants must also (a) demonstrate meritorious contributions in allergy and immunology, and (b) present evidence of published articles on allergy and immunology or on allied subjects which present original experimental research.

Member:
To quality as a Member, an applicant shall . . .

  1. Be graduated from a medical school accredited by the LCME, an accredited school of osteopathy or an equivalent foreign medical institution.
  2. Be fully licensed to practice medicine in a state of competent jurisdiction. 
  3. Satisfy the requirements of eligibility for examination by the ABAI at time of making application for membership to the ACAAI; or be a physician who has completed at least two years in an accredited U.S. allergy/immunology training program and has a certificate of completion but is not eligible to take the boards in allergy/immunology because of a lack of board certification in either pediatrics or internal medicine.
  4. Be of high moral, ethical and professional standing as attested to by three physicians familiar with the applicant, at least one of whom is a Fellow or Member of the College.
  5. Applicants trained and residing in a foreign country shall not be required to satisfy the requirements of eligibility for examination by the American Board of Allergy & Immunology, but shall be considered on an individual basis. However, foreign applicants must also (a) have equivalent training in allergy and/or immunology and (b) contribute to the advancement of allergy and/or immunology.

Scientific Fellow:
To quality as a Scientific Fellow, an applicant shall be a scientist who has made meritorious contributions to allergy/immunology and shall be of high moral, ethical and professional standing as attested to by three physicians familiar with the applicant, at least one of whom is a Fellow of the College.

Fellow-in-Training Member:
To qualify as a Fellow-in-Training Member, an applicant shall be a physician enrolled in an American Board of Medical Specialties-approved allergy-immunology training program who receives the recommendation of one Member or Fellow or his or her allergy training director and the recommendation of the director of his or her Pediatrics or Internal Medicine training program. A foreign applicant for Fellow-in-Training Member shall not be subject to this requirement, but shall be considered on an individual basis by the Board of Regents. A Fellow-in-Training Member may retain his or her status as such only until the annual meeting following his or her successful completion of an allergy fellowship training program. Provided the applicant meets all other requirements to become a Member, a Fellow-in-Training Member shall automatically be elevated to the status of Member upon notification to the College of successful completion of the allergy-immunology training program.

Associate Member:
To qualify as an Associate Member, an applicant shall be a registered nurse (R.N.), nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or certified physician's assistant (P.A.) engaged in allergy/immunology, shall be sponsored by an ACAAI Fellow/Member, and shall meet such other criteria as may be established from time to time by the Board of Regents.

Allied Member:
To qualify as an Allied Member, an applicant shall be a physician in a related field, a licensed practical nurse or other non-physician engaged in a technical or administrative position in allergy/immunology, shall be sponsored by an ACAAI Fellow/Member and shall meet such other criteria as may be established from time to time by the Board of Regents.

Final determination of the acceptability of sponsors and/or documentation shall be with the Credentials Committee and the Board of Regents. At their discretion, any additional information deemed necessary for proper evaluation of the applicant may be requested from the applicant.

Application Fees

Applicant fees do not apply toward payment of annual dues.

  • Fellows - $50
  • Members - $25
  • Members promoted to fellows - $25
  • Scientific fellows - $25
  • Fellows-in-Training (fee waived)

Annual Dues

Annual dues are invoiced after a membership application is approved and are not due at the time of application.

  • Fellows and Members (U.S.) - $280
  • Fellows and Members (Canada) - $250
  • Fellows and Members (outside the U.S. and Canada) - $175
  • Scientific fellows - $175
  • Fellows-in-Training (dues waived)
  • Allied/Assocaite Members - $65

For additional information, please contact the ACAAI Executive Office.