Medical Toxicology

The University of Virginia’s Medical Toxicology Department is comprised of four components:

The Blue Ridge Poison Center, where nurses and doctors are available by phone 24/7, 365 days a year. It provides free, confidential information and advice on poisoning for the general public and healthcare professionals;

the Center for Clinical Toxicology provides 24-hour physician consult services for patients with complex toxicological problems;

the division’s Medical Toxicology Education offers rotation service for medicine and pharmacy fellows and residents;

and the division’s Medical Toxicology Research arm of the operation performs a broad range of research including clinical, epidemiological, and basic science research.

Wilderness Medicine Course

This intensive course will introduce students to the epidemiology, pathophysiology and clinical practice of Wilderness Medicine: the care of patients in austere environments lacking typical health care resources, often under harsh conditions.

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Doctors Borek and Rizer stand by presentation poster

ToxTalks

ToxTalks is a monthly newsletter for health-care professionals who manage poisoned patients. The articles are written by specialists at the UVA Health System’s Division of Medical Toxicology.

Read Newsletter

group photo of Blue Ridge Poison Center physicians and staff

Clinical Toxicology Center

The University of Virginia’s Clinical Toxicology provides 24-hour consults to health care professionals on a wide range of conditions including medication overdose, drug interactions, herbal toxicity, envenomations, occupational exposures and environmental toxicity.

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News

Blue Ridge Poison Center Reports Decrease in Opioid, THC, Overdose Calls — In the News

NBC29 recently interviewed Dr. Chris Holstege, Director of Blue Ridge Poison Center, about the decline in overdose calls this past year. He shared the good news and hopes to identify…

Conner McDonald, MD, and Chris Holstege, MD, Featured in Over 100 News Outlets About Seizures in Children After Ingesting Drugs

October 29, 2024 by daf4a@virginia.edu Conner McDonald, MD, in the Department of Emergency Medicine, and Chris Holstege, MD, in the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics and chief of the UVA…

Blue Ridge Poison Center’s Findings on Mushroom Gummies – In the News

Mushroom gummies being sold to promote brain function may contain the illegal hallucinogen psylocibin and other harmful ingredients not listed on the label, UVA Health experts are warning after five…

Severity of Calls to U.S. Poison Centers Increases Sharply

Dr. Holstege, fellow faculty and staff are featured in UVA Health's Connect. Full article here. America’s poison centers are fielding increasingly severe cases that are dramatically more likely to lead…

The Socrates Project »

Book cover page with flora drawing The Socrates Project: Poisonous Plants in Virginia is a reference guide to poisonous plants native to Virginia. Click the image to view the publication, or click here.

This second edition is a joint effort between the Virginia Master Naturalist Program–a statewide corps of volunteers providing education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities–the Blue Ridge Poison Center at University of Virginia Health, and the University of Virginia School of Medicine’s Division of Medical Toxicology – Department of Emergency Medicine.

The Cleopatra Project »

The Cleopatra Project: Poisonous and Venomous Animals in Virginia is a joint effort between the Virginia Master Naturalist Program–a statewide corps of volunteers providing education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities–the Blue Ridge Poison Center at University of Virginia Health, and the University of Virginia School of Medicine’s Division of Medical Toxicology – Department of Emergency Medicine.

To view the publication, click here.

Toxicology Fellowship

The Medical Toxicology Fellowship is a GME funded fully accredited fellowship with a curriculum that is designed to take advantage of the numerous opportunities at the University of Virginia.