Toxicology?

[Kaustikos]

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Hi,
I'm currently a research toxicologist at a pharmaceutical company and looked into how I could apply this in clinical setting but I seem to be told that an MD is required. My local university states that there are elective courses for MD students in Toxicology but it does not state anything about residencies in Toxicology. Am I correct in assuming that this is a broad area practiced by all MDs or is it more in line with pathology? I hate asking residents this, but I feel that people in pathology can more correctly tell me.

 

[residentninfan]

Hey there,
The toxicologists I have met are PhDs, not MDs.
Pathology does inter-relate with Toxicology much more so than other specialties through Chemistry and Forensics. It is not emphasized in training, though we do get some exposure (through Chemistry rotation primarily).
You can try the pathologyoutlines.com job board but honestly I think you might need to look in Chemistry or Tox-oriented journals. It is not a very large specialty, and I would imagine most positions are going to be in large academic centers.
Best of luck

 

[listeriaismfb]

Hi,
I'm currently a research toxicologist at a pharmaceutical company and looked into how I could apply this in clinical setting but I seem to be told that an MD is required. My local university states that there are elective courses for MD students in Toxicology but it does not state anything about residencies in Toxicology. Am I correct in assuming that this is a broad area practiced by all MDs or is it more in line with pathology? I hate asking residents this, but I feel that people in pathology can more correctly tell me.

An MD is not required, to my knowledge, work in medical toxicology. State health departments often have toxicology labs though I imagine some states just roll this function right into the chemistry lab. If you wanted to run the tox lab within the state health system you'd need a PhD and some experience - but by no means is an MD required.

 

[Taterland]

The medical director of toxicology at our facility received her PhD in pharmacology and then did a clinical chemistry fellowship and sat for the Amer. Board of Clin Chem boards.

 

[Ale]

Hi,
I'm currently a research toxicologist at a pharmaceutical company and looked into how I could apply this in clinical setting but I seem to be told that an MD is required. My local university states that there are elective courses for MD students in Toxicology but it does not state anything about residencies in Toxicology. Am I correct in assuming that this is a broad area practiced by all MDs or is it more in line with pathology? I hate asking residents this, but I feel that people in pathology can more correctly tell me.

If you want to do toxicology and become a toxicology lab director or continue to do tox research, the best route to do it (IMO) would be getting a PhD in pharm/tox.

There are many programs. I am providing two examples and you can expand the query from them.

http://toxtraining.pharmacy.arizona.edu/training.php
http://www.vcu.edu/pharmtox/prospective/grad_tox.htm

With the PhD you could work in a medical examiners office, university or large reference laboratory. As always, there might be a niche in the private sector

If you want to treat poisoned patients, you are going to need a MD. Afterwards you might consider a residency in emergency medicine and follow it with a fellowship in medical toxicology (if you don't get tired of residency).

This is the American College of Medical Toxicology website

http://www.acmt.net/

In the ACGME website you will find the list of accredited programs.

In path we do tox but is mainly in the clinical chemistry lab. Not a lot of hospitals have a comprehensive tox lab, so not a lot of pathologist do tox.