What is it like to be an immunologist?

[deleted1095841]

I am very interested in immunology research, specifically immuno-oncology, autoimmune disease, immune system development in childhood, and gut microbiome. However, I have no idea what a practicing immunologist usually does. I am specifically interested in what an academic immunologist does. I imagine spending about half my time doing research and teaching, and the other half practicing medicine.

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[Animalcules]

Immunology is found in many different specialties
-- oncology --> immune-oncology, you treat patients with cancer all day
-- rheumatology --> autoimmunity, you treat patients with systemic autoimmune diseases all day
-- clinical immunology/allergy --> mostly immunodeficiency syndromes, you treat allergies all day
-- all other organ specific fields --> you can specialize to treat patients with autoimmune diseases of that organ system (neurology=CNS/PNS, GI+gut, liver, endocrinology=thyroid...)

The exposure to immunology research depends on what you want to do rather than the field.