Toxicology Fellowship
The Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center Medical Toxicology Fellowship is a two-year, ACGME-accredited fellowship affiliated with the Michigan Poison and Drug Information Center.
Our faculty are board-certified in Medical Toxicology, Emergency Medicine, and Addiction Medicine. They provide expert consultation for adult and pediatric patients across the Detroit Medical Center, including Detroit Receiving Hospital, Harper University Hospital, Sinai Grace Hospital, and Children's Hospital of Michigan. Our robust consult service offers trainees extensive bedside clinical experience, emphasizing acute intoxications, withdrawal management, and treatment of various substance use disorders. Additionally, we specialize in managing iatrogenic opioid and sedative tolerance and withdrawal syndromes in various critical care settings.
Fellows benefit from diverse rotations, including occupational and environmental toxicology, forensic toxicology, and laboratory medicine
• Occupational and Environmental Toxicology: In collaboration with Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan, fellows work alongside Dr. Kenneth Rosenman, assessing and treating patient in an office-based setting. This rotation provides a longitudinal experience, occurring at weekly to monthly intervals throughout the year.
• Forensic Toxicology: Fellows spend 1-2 weeks at the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office, worsening with forensic pathologists, performing autopsies, and studying a specialized forensic toxicology curriculum.
• Laboratory Medicine Rotation: In partnership with Corewell Health in Royal Oak, Michigan, fellows work closely with clinical laboratory specialist, gaining hands-on experience with laboratory instruments, understanding their limitations, and correlating laboratory findings with clinical cases.
Fellows are encouraged to pursue specialized training in Hazmat, hyperbaric, and radiation medicine.
Radiation training is a required component, and every two years, fellows travel to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to complete a three-day advanced radiation medicine course. Hazmat and hyperbaric medicine training are optional but highly recommended, providing additional opportunities for fellows to broaden their expertise.
Additional Optional Training Opportunities:
• Medical Toxicology in Industry Virtual Fellowship Rotation: Sponsored by Bayer and the Medical Toxicology Foundation (MTF), this virtual rotation offers insights into industry-based toxicology practices.
• Scottish Poisons Unit & National Poisons Information Service (NPIS): Fellows have the opportunity to rotate abroad at the toxicology ward at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and Scottish Poisons Unit. This provides an international perspective on poisoning management.
• Pediatric Lead Clinic: Located at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, this rotation provides hands-on experience in managing pediatric lead exposure cases
Fellows are encouraged to explore and design additional toxicology-related rotations that align with their interests and career goals.
The Michigan Poison and Drug Information Center (MiPDC) is one of the most active poison centers in the United States, handling a high volume of cases involving critically ill hospitalized patients. MiPDC collaborates closely with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Servies (MDHSS) on various toxicosurveillance projects aimed at enhancing public health initiatives within the state.
Key initiatives lead by MiPDC include the development of a statewide health information exchange connecting poison center data with emergency departments, emergency services, and the medical examiner’s office. This collaboration supports multiple goals: establishing an early warning system for overdose risk, guiding clinical and social services interventions, facilitating timely public health responses, and generating valuable population health data. Recent collaborative efforts have culminated in publications related to statewide xylazine and nitrous oxide misuse. Our efforts have informed state health policy and contributed to legislative changes, with our faculty regularly invited to testify before the Senate Health Committee. MiPDC’s contributes continue to advance publish health impact and improve health outcomes across Michigan.
Call Responsibilities:
Fellows take on progressively advanced call responsibilities based on their level of training. Typically fellows participate in home call, providing backup to MiPDC specialists in poison information and interface directly with healthcare providers statewide.
***Fellows can expect to have around 8-9 call days monthly (home call) throughout their training***
Education Opportunities:
MiPDC faculty deliver comprehensive medical toxicology education to a diverse group of learners, including medical and pharmacy students, residents from various disciplines, and fellows of various sub-specialties. Each year, the MiPDC formally educates over 100 rotating learners, offering both in-person and virtual options. Medical toxicology fellows benefit from extensive teaching and lecturing opportunities including:
• Quarterly Toxicology Grand Rounds: A quarterly lecture series covering a range of toxicology topics, offered to residency programs and emergency medicine physicians throughout Southeast Michigan.
• Annual Toxicology Symposium: A live event with lectures on various toxicology topics, designed for a broad audience of healthcare professionals.
• Daily Rotator Lectures: During rotator blocks, fellows have daily opportunities to conduct case reviews and deliver lectures to rotating residents in both virtual and in-person formats.
• Medical Student Lectures: Fellows can provide a monthly introductory lecture on toxicology for Wayne State University School of Medicine students.
• On-Demand Platform: MiPDC is expanding its online educational capabilities, building a virtual, on-demand toxicology course. Fellows can contribute lectures to this platform, which will also feature blogs, case reviews, and other interactive educational content for medical professionals.
• Guest Lectures: Fellows are encouraged to deliver lectures for various residency programs throughout the state, further extending their educational impact.
A Typical Day in the Life of a Fellow:
8 AM: Arrive at the MiPDC
9 AM: Round on consults with illustrious faculty and internal rotators
11 AM: Review Poison Center cases with virtual rotators
12 PM: Lunch
1PM: Provide rotator lectures for in-person and virtual rotators
3 PM: Read, write, research
5 PM: Go home!
We accept applicants who have completed a residency program in emergency medicine, internal medicine, family medicine, occupational medicine, preventative medicine, and pediatrics. Clinical requirements vary based on primary specialty.
Further questions about being a medical trainee at the DMC are found here: https://www.dmc.org/health-professionals/gme-at-dmc/dmc-clinical-campus/future-residents
We have a 100% board passage rate for our graduated fellows and our graduates often become faculty in highly-esteemed academic programs!
Current Fellows:
David Carroll, MD (2nd year)
Aria Darling, MD (1st year)
Past fellows:
Matthew Hedge, MD
Bram Dolcourt, MD
Eric Malone, MD
Luke Bisoski, MD
Mirjana Dimovska, MD
Elizabeth Jacobs, MD
Diana Dean, MD
Brandtly Yakey, DO
If you are looking for a program that offers a high-volume and outstanding bedside and poison center-based medical toxicology experience, look no further!