Jason Kwah, MD, MSc, is board certified in allergy and immunology and internal medicine. He cares for patients with a broad range of disorders including allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, asthma, drug allergies, and food allergies.
Growing up with allergies himself, Dr. Kwah says he naturally had an interest in the subject, but that it was the interaction with patients that sold him on the specialty of allergy and immunology.
“I gravitated to a specialty that had a strong presence in clinics outside the hospital and I was fascinated by the science of this field. Whether it’s a drug allergy, a seasonal allergy, or asthma, these issues really affect people,” he says. “I enjoy talking to patients and really taking the time to hear their complete history.”
Dr. Kwah says he often tells patients that allergy and immunology is one of the fields in medicine where the story they tell is just as important as any testing he does.
“I love teasing their story out and getting a grasp of what is going on and deciding what type of testing might help them,” he says. “Plus, I also enjoy teaching and the research and education aspects of my job.”
Dr. Kwah has a special interest in medical education, particularly in the education of students, residents, and fellows. He also focuses on testing pregnant women who believe they have a penicillin allergy. Ten percent of the population reports having an allergic reaction to a penicillin-class medication, but less than 1% actually do—and should be tested, Dr. Kwah says. Allowing women to take an antibiotic that is narrow instead of broad would help curb the trend of antibiotic resistance, among other benefits, he says.
