Feature Story

Inspiring the Next Generation: High School Students Introduced to A/I at the AAAAI Annual Meeting

AAAAI volunteers took the lead exposing students to the specialty

For four Philadelphia high school students, the 2026 AAAAI Annual Meeting offered more than a glimpse into the world of allergy/immunology—it opened the door to careers they may never have previously imagined.

Thanks to the efforts of AAAAI Board Member, Jordan S. Orange, MD, PhD, FAAAAI, the students attended the meeting through the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Internship for Scholars and Emerging Scientists (CHOP-RISES) program, an established two-summer internship that introduces high school students to careers in science and healthcare.

Three of the high school students meeting their mentors at the 2026 AAAAI Annual Meeting.

Bringing CHOP-RISES participants together with the Annual Meeting in Philadelphia simply made sense, said Dr. Orange who serves as Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Pediatrician-in-Chief at CHOP. “The AAAAI brings the highest quality science and some of the most brilliant minds to cities around the country via its Annual Meeting,” he said. “It is a tremendous initiative to partner with the communities hosting us to try and give something back to them by way of opportunities for aspiring young local innovators.”

The four students experienced the Annual Meeting on Saturday, guided by three AAAAI member volunteers to specific areas and sessions to learn more about the allergy/immunology specialty.

“I thoroughly enjoyed escorting the students,” said Ejiofor Ezekwe, Jr., MD, PhD. “The experience was profoundly enriching and inspiring; it reminded me of how, as a young student, I was motivated by the example of others to pursue a career in medicine and allergy/immunology. The students were highly engaged and gained significant knowledge and experience from the event.”

AAAAI member volunteers first took the students to the poster hall to explore some of the research before stopping by several vendors in the exhibit hall, both of which the students seemed to be particularly engaged in.

The students exploring the Poster Hall during their visit to the Annual Meeting.

Nina C. Ramirez, MD, FAAAAI, FCCP, another volunteer who worked with the students, was inspired by their interest. “They were fully engaged, learning firsthand about relevant research during the poster session. They also had the chance to visit with a pharmaceutical company developing a novel oral option for anaphylaxis and were fascinated by the science behind its development,” she said.

The students then attended the Chrysalis Project Program-Career Paths in Allergy & Immunology session. For Dr. Ramirez, one of the most impactful moments of the afternoon was when the students listened to their first speaker, Princess U. Ogbogu, MD, FAAAAI. “As I guided them to their seats, I encouraged them to see themselves in her. Being able to walk beside them as a physician who was once exactly where they are was not lost on me. I watched that very message come to life before their eyes; embodied in Dr. Ogbogu commanding the speaker platform. When a student sees themselves reflected in a practicing specialist, the message shifts from 'this is possible' to 'this is for me.' That shift is everything...and I felt it in that room.”

The high school students’ final stop was the Chrysalis Project Program-Hot Topic Discussion Session, where the students talked about the Omalizumab as Monotherapy and as Adjunct Therapy to Multi-Allergen OIT in Food Allergic Participants (OUtMATCH) study with a small group of medical students, residents and practicing physicians. Later, Asriani M. Chiu, MD, FAAAAI, and Rebecca R. Saff, MD, PhD, FAAAAI, Chrysalis Project co-chairs, sat with the students to discuss their careers and answer their questions.

Mentor Ejiofor Ezekwe, Jr., MD, PhD, talks with the students at the Annual Meeting.

Tracy J. Pitt, MD, FAAAAI, one of the AAAAI members who worked with the students, found the experience to be very rewarding. “Sharing what we do as allergists and exposing prospective students to research and new innovations in our field was a great experience for students and physicians alike. I believe this program has provided more exposure to our field, which is not widely known by many high school, college and even medical students. The more students are exposed to our field, hopefully the more allergists we have in the future!”

AAAAI hopes to hold a similar event at the 2027 AAAAI Annual Meeting in New Orleans. “Since there are wonderful institutions in our host cities that have programs for developing future physicians and scientists, the AAAAI can benefit from their structure and provide access to what we can offer. It is exhilarating to think of the potential impact of doing this in every city we visit,” Dr. Orange said.

What Did the Students Have to Say About the Experience?

“The conference was a great experience because I learned a lot about allergies and the professionals that help on the backend.”

“It was exciting to hear from professionals in the field and being able to be in that environment. Also, being able to see upcoming medicine.”

“I had fun. It was interesting to see the diversity in allergy and immunology and to also get the chance to ask questions and look at poster presentations.”

“I’m thankful for this opportunity, and thankful I got to experience something new.”

These quotes have been left anonymous to preserve the students’ privacy.