Emergency Medicine
Division of Toxicology
Residents are scheduled for
this rotation during their 3rd year and takes place at the West
Texas Poison Center, and at Thomason Hospital.
Residents will be exposed to the field of Medical Toxicology and to the laboratory methods by which toxicologic studies are performed by spending 30 hours in the Poison Center. A one hour orientation with the director is required to familiarize the resident with the functioning of the Poison Control Center, and will include instructions for operating the computerized Poisindex system. Residents will be on call for an additional 12 days.
Residents will learn the pertinent aspects of the history and physical exam relative to acute poisoning with particular emphasis on clinical recognition of major toxic syndromes (toxidromes); learn the presenting signs, symptoms, laboratory findings, pathophysiology and treatment of common therapeutic drug poisonings, drugs of abuse, natural toxins, and general household poisons as delineated in the core curriculum of Emergency Medicine; learn the common hazardous materials (HAZMAT) of the workplace and pre hospital operations with regard to HAZMAT incidents. These are just a few learning experiences out of many.
Although not required, the resident will be expected to prepare a brief case report on a patient seen in the Emergency Department during the month of the rotation. This does not need to be a unique situation (as would be needed for publication). Instead this is a learning experience for the resident, acquainting him/her with the method for preparing a case report.
Dr. John Haynes, board certified in Emergency Medicine and Toxicology, is the Medical Director of the West Texas Poison Center. You may contact him at jhaynes@elp.rr.com for questions or comments.