Caring for Patients at Every Stage of Life

Katelyn Wong, MD, was first introduced to caring for patients with allergy and immunologic conditions during her pediatrics residency at Yale School of Medicine. She quickly became fascinated by the nuances of food and drug allergies.

“Diagnosing patients with allergic and immunologic conditions requires careful history taking. We take the time to get to know our patients, their history, and symptoms,” Wong says. “It’s like putting together puzzles of symptoms that may or may not fit with specific atopic conditions or immunologic conditions.”

Wong, who joined the faculty at Yale School of Medicine in 2024, holds dual appointments in pediatrics and internal medicine. She cares for children, adolescents, and adults with a variety of allergic and immunologic conditions, including food and drug allergies, asthma, eczema, and allergic rhinitis.

For Wong, one of the joys of her work is spending quality time guiding and counseling patients who have questions about whether certain situations—like dining at restaurants, traveling abroad, or participating in certain activities—would be safe given their existing conditions.

“One of the questions I like to ask patients is, ‘What is your current understanding of your condition?’” Wong says. “This sets the stage for a better conversation and lets me tailor my communications to each patient so I can help them navigate their care and equip them to make informed decisions about what is safe for them.”

These discussions change over the patients’ lifespans, Wong says. For younger children, her goal is to provide guidance so they can safely participate in typical activities, with consideration of their allergies. Initially, parents or primary caregivers lead in managing a child’s care plan, administering medications, or seeking out care when they feel the child needs to be seen.

However, as children transition into adolescence, Wong’s role changes. “Part of the visits during adolescence is ensuring each patient really understands their conditions. I want to empower them to administer some treatments themselves, or ask questions about food allergens at a friend’s home or at restaurants,” she says.

As patients enter adulthood, Wong helps them assess drug allergies during pregnancy or how to treat their allergic or immunologic condition while experiencing other health conditions.

“I see a variety of patients in different life stages, with unique life circumstances, including their occupations, goals, and primary concerns,” says Wong. “To be able to provide lifelong, longitudinal care is very special and rewarding.”

In addition to her clinical work, Wong is actively involved in several quality improvement projects aimed at improving patient outcomes. For example, she led a quality improvement initiative in the Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital to reduce the use of first-generation antihistamines, which are associated with adverse short- and long-term side effects. The study, which was recently published in Pediatrics, found that implementing a multidisciplinary quality improvement initiative significantly reduced the use of first-generation antihistamines and increased the use of second-generation antihistamines, which are safer, better tolerated, and equally effective alternatives.

“Allergy and immunology is a dynamic field that is constantly evolving,” Wong says. “We have so much new information, which means that our recommendations to patients in terms of prevention and treatment are always evolving. It also means we need to ensure updated recommendations reach every patient.”

This commitment to evidence-based medicine is also central to her approach to training students, residents, and fellows. “Great teaching is so important to make sure our learners and trainees establish good evidence-based practices,” she says.

Wong originally came to Yale for her residency and subsequently completed her fellowship in allergy and immunology. “I have had wonderful mentors who guided me from day one in residency throughout my fellowship and transition to faculty,” Wong says. “Yale is such a collaborative and collegial community. The people make it feel like home and create a wonderful place to work.”

Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, one of 10 sections in the Yale Department of Internal Medicine, is dedicated to providing care for patients with rheumatic, allergic and immunologic disorders; educating future generations of thought leaders in the field; and researching fundamental questions of autoimmunity and immunology. To learn more, visit Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology.