Day: September 10, 2022

Dr. Richard Lockey, Dr. Mark Glaum, Dr. Seong Cho and Dr. Amber Pepper diagnose and treat various allergic and immunologic diseases in both children and adults.

These include allergic nose and eye problems; other respiratory issues such as asthma; food, drug and insect allergies; various forms of allergic skin disorders, including atopic eczema, urticaria (hives) and contact dermatitis; acute and chronic sinusitis; and systemic allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. 

The doctors also are also experts in treating immunodeficiency diseases — patients who are abnormally susceptible to infections.

The four of them are set apart by their commitment to research and education in the field, treating patients in private practice while also conducting research at the University of South Florida (USF) Division of Allergy & Immunology Clinical Research Unit (CRU). The private practice office and CRU make up the top floor of a medical building near the corner of Fletcher Ave. and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., and the practice is found online at AllergyTampa.com.

Richard Lockey, M.D., founded the practice in this location in 1984 as Academic Associates in Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Nearly four decades later, he continues to practice alongside a team of professionals who are all Board-certified in both internal medicine and allergy and immunology and who pride themselves on excellent patient care.

All four also educate residents and medical students at USF and supervise a nationally recognized program to train allergists and immunologists. In that capacity, they do clinical research and have been involved in many of the innovations in the specialty of allergy and immunology over the past several decades.

“Because of our research background,” says Dr. Cho, “we take a scientific approach to diseases. We are all currently involved in doing research on both the university and clinical side, so we have more scientific understanding.”

Their goals are to improve the quality of life of their patients with allergies and immunologic diseases and make them self-sufficient in caring for their own health and the health of their children and families. They also continue to improve the diagnosis and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases.

While Dr. Lockey says that there’s nothing wrong with a doctor who chooses only to focus on seeing patients, physicians join his team because they also want to do academic research and train new physicians in the specialty.

“We all have our areas of specialty and interest,” he explains. “That’s what makes us so powerful.”

A Little Background

Dr. Lockey earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the Temple University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, then subsequently joined the faculty of the USF (now Morsani) College of Medicine as a Professor of Medicine. Dr. Lockey also has served as president of the World Allergy Organization and is a past president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), of which all of the practice’s specialists are members.

Dr. Glaum earned his M.D. degree at the Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. He completed a fellowship in allergy and clinical immunology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, also in Philadelphia. His areas of interest include how the body responds to substances that cause allergic reactions and advancing diagnostic techniques, such as rhinoscopies (examining nasal passages with specialized instruments).

Dr. Cho received his M.D. degree as an otolaryngologist — an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor — from Kyung Hee University School of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea. His allergy and immunology training was completed at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, IL.

“Being an ENT is unique,” Dr. Cho says, “I have more expertise in sinus problems. Often ENTs and allergists work together, but my training and background gives me a better perspective of both sides.”

And, like the other doctors in the practice, Dr. Cho explains that the ongoing research and university experience means they take a scientific approach to treating patients, as well.

Dr. Pepper earned her M.D. degree from USF in 2013, then completed her residency in internal medicine in 2016 at USF and a fellowship at the practice through USF’s Division of Allergy & Immunology.

While all of the doctors are able to treat nearly all allergy and immunology issues, there are times when they rely on each other to handle very complicated cases. They say that some local allergists refer to them when a patient has a particularly intricate issue.

For example, Dr. Cho’s background as an ENT means he’ll sometimes handle nasal allergy testing for patients of his colleagues, if skin and blood tests are negative for allergy responses and the patient requires that nasal allergy testing.

The doctors provide the community with pollen counts, including pollen counts from mold spores, year-round. In the spring, they provide pollen counts from trees. In the summer, they provide counts for grasses and, in the fall, for weeds. They are experts in both outdoor and indoor allergies cause by mites, molds, animals and other allergens. 

Drs. Lockey, Glaum, Cho and Pepper recommend that patients always look for physicians with expertise and ongoing training to meet your specific needs. They intentionally stay up-to-date on medicine and treatment at the forefront of medical science.

Patients can see Drs. Lockey, Glaum, Cho or Pepper at their North Tampa office, which is located at 13801 BBD Blvd., Ste. 502, or in the South Tampa office, located at 1906 W. Platt St. To learn more about the services they provide, visit AllergyTampa.com or call (813) 971-9743.