American College of Medical Toxicology
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the world.
The College exists to support quality medical care for persons exposed to potentially harmful chemicals (whether medications, drugs of abuse, workplace or environmental toxins, envenomings, bioterrorism agents), and to provide training and insight to the physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s who provide this care.
History
Timeline of the organization:- 1974: American Board of Medical Toxicology (ABMT) established
- 1992: Medical Toxicology recognized by American Board of Medical Specialties
- 1993: ABMT goes out of business and is replaced by ACMT and the Subboard of Medical Toxicology. Subboard members include representatives appointed by the American Board of Emergency Medicine, American Board of Pediatrics, and the American Board of Preventive Medicine
- 1993: ACMT is incorporated as stand alone professional organization for physician toxicologists board certified in medical toxicology
- 1994: Subboard offers first certification examination in Medical Toxicology
- 2001: Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredits Medical Toxicology fellowship training programs
- 2002: First ACMT Annual Spring Conference
- 2003: ACMT/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Regional Consultation Network is established
- 2004: First of over 50 courses a Chemical Agents of Opportunity offered with sponsorship of the ATSDR
- 2004: First biannual ACMT Board Review Course offered
ACMT services provided
ACMT members provide professional services in Medical Toxicology in a variety ofclinical, industrial, educational, and public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
settings:
- Bedside consultation of acutely poisonPoisonIn the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
ed adults and children in emergency departmentEmergency departmentAn emergency department , also known as accident & emergency , emergency room , emergency ward , or casualty department is a medical treatment facility specialising in acute care of patients who present without prior appointment, either by their own means or by ambulance...
s & intensive care unitIntensive Care Unitthumb|220px|ICU roomAn intensive-care unit , critical-care unit , intensive-therapy unit/intensive-treatment unit is a specialized department in a hospital that provides intensive-care medicine...
s.
- Outpatient clinics, offices, and job sites evaluating health impacts from acute and chronic exposure to toxic substances.
- Poison control centerPoison control centerA poison control center is a medical facility that is able to provide immediate, free, and expert treatment advice and assistance over the telephone in case of exposure to poisonous or hazardous substances...
s
- Industry and Commerce
- Governmental agencies
- Clinical and forensic laboratories
Medical Toxicology
The Institute of Medicine report “Forging a Poison Prevention and Control System” (2004) makes the following distinction on the first page of the Executive Summary:“The term toxicologist is a general description of an individual dealing with any aspect of acute or chronic poisoning, and it does not have a specific definition or implication with regard to training or job description. For example, this term may be used to describe individuals whose activities range from molecular biology to epidemiology, as long as they deal in some way with the toxic effects of chemicals. The term Clinical toxicologist implies a more clinical orientation, but likewise has no specific definition or implications. Medical toxicologists are physicians with specific training and board certification in the subspecialty of medical toxicology, which focuses on the care of poisoned patients.”
See also
- PoisonPoisonIn the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
- List of extremely hazardous substances
- VenomVenomVenom is the general term referring to any variety of toxins used by certain types of animals that inject it into their victims by the means of a bite or a sting...
- ToxicityToxicityToxicity is the degree to which a substance can damage a living or non-living organisms. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a substructure of the organism, such as a cell or an organ , such as the liver...
- AntidoteAntidoteAn antidote is a substance which can counteract a form of poisoning. The term ultimately derives from the Greek αντιδιδοναι antididonai, "given against"....
- Chemical WarfareChemical warfareChemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of chemical substances as weapons. This type of warfare is distinct from Nuclear warfare and Biological warfare, which together make up NBC, the military acronym for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical...
- History of poisonHistory of poisonThe history of poison stretches from before 4500 BC to the present day. Poisons have been used for many purposes across the span of human existence, most commonly as weapons, anti-venoms, and medicines...
- List of poisonings
- List of fictional toxins