Toxicology Fellowship

• We will teach you to be an outstanding bedside toxicologist
• UVA Health is a Level 1 Trauma Center and tertiary care referral center treating pediatric and adult populations
• In-patient consult service, where we see consults and manage patients 24/7 to ensure the best care of poisoned patients
• The Blue Ridge Poison Center is based at our program. The fellows’ office is across the hall from the call center, maximizing learning opportunities. Fellows are involved in poison center logistics, giving them the training to be future medical directors if they desire
• Outpatient clinic with review of referral requests and opportunities for occupational or environmental exposure consultations
• Dr. Nathan Charlton is board certified in addiction medicine. Fellows have the option to join his outpatient clinical practice to enhance their addiction medicine training
• Forensic toxicology case opportunities. Faculty have been involved in assisting in forensic and criminal poisonings
• Partnership with the JAG school. Fellows serve as mock expert witnesses to learn the skills to be an expert witness in their future practice

Dr. Heather Borek on a group trip to the FBI academy

• Teaching is a priority and passion of our faculty
• Daily morning teaching with case reviews and bedside rounds followed by didactic sessions led by the attending medical toxicologist
• Fellows help lead the multidisciplinary rotation team, which includes residents, medical students, pharmacists, and pharmacy students
• Rotating lecture series at Emergency Medicine Grand Rounds where fellows hone their didactic skills
• Weekly fellow conference and board review
• In-the-field teaching with frequent toxicology group hikes highlighting poisonous plants, venomous animals, and wilderness survival
• Opportunities for fellows to give local, regional, and national lectures and presentations
• The fellow development curriculum includes enhancement of writing skills for publications and team leadership proficiencies
• Faculty and fellows listen to national webinars. Fellows can participate nationally in journal clubs and case conferences
• Simulation both on mannequins and volunteer victims as part of the wilderness medicine curriculum
• Innovative teaching techniques, such as toxicology-themed escape rooms and Jeopardy-style game

Faculty and learners sampling activated charcoal

The faculty of the Medical Toxicology program have a passion for teaching. Our faculty have won numerous teaching awards and are regarded throughout the School of Medicine as outstanding educators. Our learning environment is supportive and rigorous with very successful pass rates for the Medical Toxicology board examination, but more importantly, our fellows become very competent toxicologists. As the fellows’ success is our ultimate goal, we will challenge our fellows to develop themselves as clinicians and educators.

• Fellows are quickly involved in research, with multiple abstracts presented at Toxicology and Emergency Medicine conferences yearly
• Full-time epidemiologist to help guide research techniques and data analysis
• Faculty mentorship with writing and research
• The toxicology team is integrated with multiple databases that are incorporated into research projects

Faculty and fellows gathering at ACMT toxicology conference

Fellow alumnus Dr. Alsufyani presenting at a national toxicology conference

• The toxicology team works closely with the Emergency Preparedness group at UVA Health
• Guide decontamination protocols
• Assist with mass chemical exposures via the Poison Center
• Strong partnership with local community fire and haz-mat teams

Team assisting with set up of mass decontamination tent