Medical Toxicology Program
What is Medical Toxicology?
Medical Toxicology is an ABMS physician specialty dedicated to the evaluation and management of patients exposed to toxic substances including medications, biological agents, industrial and occupational toxins, environmental toxins and envenomations, and substances of abuse. There are several hundred practicing Medical Toxicologists in the United States, many of whom staff Poison Centers, treat patients on clinical consult or primary toxicology admission services, attend to toxicology-specific intensive care units, evaluate and treat exposed patients in the outpatient clinics, provide addiction medicine consultation, investigate novel psychoactive substances, and provide expertise in cases of criminal poisonings or in forensics.
What is the path to becoming a Medical Toxicologist?
After completion of any primary residency, but most commonly in Emergency Medicine or Pediatrics, a two-year post-residency fellowship in Medical Toxicology from an ACGME-accredited fellowship program is required to be eligible for the board certification exam in Medical Toxicology. Students and trainees interested in learning about the practice of medical toxicology can learn more at https://www.acmt.net/about-medtox/.
Medical Toxicology at Prisma Health
Our vision is to establish Prisma Health as a leader in Medical Toxicology by delivering exceptional patient care, fostering innovation in research, improving surveillance of poisonings and outbreaks, optimizing safe and appropriate use of medications and antidotes, and providing comprehensive education to healthcare professionals and the community. The bedside consult service currently sees patients at Greenville Memorial Hospital and is available for consultation 24/7. Common reasons for consultation include medication overdoses or adverse effects, chemical exposures, complications related to recreational drug use, envenomations, poisonous plant or mushroom ingestions, and other environmental exposures.
The Medical Toxicology service at Prisma Health is dedicated to delivering the highest standard of care for patients impacted by toxic substances via evidence-based medicine. Our educational mission is to impart knowledge on the management of poisoning to all healthcare professionals at Prisma Health. This service seeks to align with the health system's broader goals of enhancing clinical quality, the patient experience, and access to affordable care, as well as conducting clinical research and training the next generation of medical professionals.
Medical Toxicology for Emergency Medicine Residents and other Trainees
The Medical Toxicology faculty at Prisma Health provides a variety of educational programs, including toxicology-focused didactics and simulation for Emergency Medicine residents, focused lectures in relevant topics for residents, fellows, and faculty affiliated with other Departments, and a 2-week rotation on the inpatient Medical Toxicology bedside consult service for all Emergency Medicine residents and Psychiatry residents. Elective opportunities are currently also open to trainees from the Departments of Neurology, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.
University of South Carolina School of Medicine – Greenville 3rd and 4th year medical students have the opportunity to participate in an elective rotation with the Medical Toxicology service at Prisma Health.. The Medical Toxicology faculty also provide lectures on pharmacology and toxicology to the pre-clinical students.
David H. Schaffer, MD
Director, Medical Toxicology
Department of Emergency Medicine
Prisma Health – Upstate
Natalie E. Ebeling-Koning, DO
Assistant Director, Medical Toxicology
Department of Emergency Medicine
Prisma Health – Upstate
For more information, contact Dr. Schaffer at: david.schaffer@prismahealth.org