Medical Toxicology in the Emergency Medicine Residency
For the Emergency Medicine physician, poisoning is a common chief complaint for patients encountered in the ED. The UVM EM residency therefore features a longitudinal toxicology curriculum that teaches residents the basics of caring for critically ill poisoned patients. Common overdoses, their recognition, and their management will be discussed in a variety of didactic formats, ranging from case discussions to simulation. Our “Pick your Poison” series allows residents to teach their colleagues about a drug, chemical, poison, or venom of their choice.
Residents who have additional interest in medical toxicology may take advantage of our close collaboration with the Northern New England Poison Center (NNEPC), located in Portland, ME. The NNEPC fields calls from both laypersons and medical professionals from Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Residents will assist physicians who seek guidance in caring for require help taking care of critically ill poisoned patients under supervision from our medical toxicologists. This elective is accompanied by structured didactics that allow for in-depth understanding of the toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics of select poisons, as well as their treatment.
Medical Toxicology Clinical Elective
Medical students at LCOM can now take advantage of advanced training in medical toxicology. Death from poisoning due to medication, drugs, envenomation, and chemical exposure is the leading cause of death among young adults. More Americans die from poisonings than car accidents each year. Thus, additional training in medical toxicology will serve future physicians for the remainder of their professional career, regardless of specialty.
The medical toxicology elective is located off-site in beautiful Portland, ME. There, medical students will work alongside CSPIs and medical toxicologists of the Northern New England Poison Center (NNEPC). Medical students will assist in giving advice to both laypersons calling the poison center and physicians at hospitals across Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont who require additional guidance in taking care of their critically ill poisoned patients.
The 2-week course features an intensive curriculum that will teach the fundamentals of the toxicological physical exam, common poisonings and antidotes, and caring for patients in whom the poison cannot be identified.