Didactics
Core Lecture Series
Each July and August, all toxicology fellows receive a series of core lectures — including basic biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology and toxicology. Further lectures discuss the toxicity of drugs, household products, envenomations, natural toxins and occupational toxins.
Clinical Toxicology Chapter Review
Each week a faculty member meets with the fellows to discuss an assigned chapter in Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies. The chapter assignments are designed to cover the core content for medical toxicology over a 24-month period.
Occupational Toxicology Chapter Review
Fellows also prepare summaries of chapters from Sullivan's Clinical Environmental Health and Toxic Exposures. A faculty member also participates to facilitate discussion and review. Again, chapter assignments are designed to cover the core content in industrial and environmental toxicology over a 24-month period.
Poison Center Conference
Cases from the Banner Poison and Drug Information Center are reviewed weekly. This conference focuses on common exposure calls that are routinely handled by the poison center staff in order to provide experience with calls that are not usually seen by the toxicologist.
Toxicology Conference and Journal Club
Each Friday, fellows and rotators present short reviews on a variety of toxicology topics. These small-group lectures provide the fellows opportunities to develop and demonstrate oral and written communication skills while the handouts provide a study resource. A classic toxicology journal article, as well as other relevant current articles are also presented. Lastly, patients seen by the service over the previous week are reviewed.
Teaching
Fellows have the opportunity to lead daily teaching rounds with rotating residents and medical students. They also teach monthly core lectures to rotators on service. Fellows further refine their formal presentation skills by providing lectures to several area Graduate Medical Education programs, including the Maricopa Emergency Medicine Residency, Phoenix Children's Pediatrics Residency, and Phoenix Children's Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Fellowships. Fellows have also delivered presentations at national meetings.
Research
Each fellow is encouraged to develop and complete a research project that focuses on an area of particular interest. Fellows are reimbursed for travel to present at the annual American College of Medical Toxicology meeting. During their second year, travel to North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology is also reimbursed. A monthly departmental research conference discusses current and future research projects.