University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Program

The UT Southwestern Medical Toxicology Fellowship Program is a distinguished two-year program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The program operates in conjunction with the Texas Poison Center Network and Parkland Hospital, providing a rich educational environment for fellows.

Outstanding Faculty

The faculty associated with the program is renowned for their expertise in various aspects of medical toxicology. Notably, faculty members include medical directors from the Parkland Perinatal Intervention Program, the executive director of the American College of Medical Toxicology, and leading forensic toxicology experts recognized nationally. Faculty also includes clinic directors from the outpatient toxicology clinics at UT Southwestern and Children’s Medical Center Dallas, alongside a medical review officer for Parkland and the medical director for the North Texas Poison Center, presenting an opportunity for fellows to engage with the best minds in the field of toxicology 1.

Program Structure and Resources

The program is fully funded, meaning fellows do not need to moonlight to receive their salaries, which is a significant consideration compared to many other medical toxicology fellowship programs. As such, the fellowship can attract candidates from diverse medical backgrounds including emergency medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, occupational medicine, and preventive medicine. If any fellow chooses to engage in moonlighting, they are permitted to keep their earnings 1.

Training Sites

Fellows gain clinical experience in several key facilities:

• William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital: A state-of-the-art facility with 460 beds that provides cutting-edge technology for patient care and a comprehensive training environment.
• Parkland Memorial Hospital: As the county hospital for Dallas County and a leading tertiary referral center, Parkland's emergency department is the busiest in the nation, serving over 240,000 patients each year.
• Children’s Medical Center Dallas: One of the busiest pediatric emergency rooms in the United States, significant for its role in treating envenomated and poisoned children.
• North Texas Poison Center: Functions 24/7 providing critical toxicological care and education to health care providers, facilitating hands-on experience for fellows 1.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the fellowship is dynamic and closely aligns with the core competencies outlined by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. It emphasizes comprehensive board review preparation, including coverage of essential topics throughout the fellowship duration. Fellows participate in two board review courses: one conducted by the American College of Medical Toxicology, and another by faculty members focused on board review topics. Topics include adverse drug reactions, environmental toxicology, and preventive medicine, among others 3.

Didactics

Fellows engage in a robust didactic schedule designed to complement clinical experience. Structured weekly didactics allow fellows to dive deeply into toxicology cases, participate in evidence-based medicine reviews, and attend grand rounds featuring national experts. Furthermore, fellows partake in a journal club that critically analyzes recent literature in medical toxicology, contributing to their clinical and research acumen 4.

Application Process

The fellowship accepts two fellows per year through the ERAS system, participating in the National Resident Matching Program. Key application components include USMLE or COMLEX scores, a current CV, personal statements, reference letters—one from a program director—and an ECFMG certificate for international medical graduates. Notably, an applicant must hold a J1 visa if they are a foreign medical graduate 2.

Visa Support

The program offers support for J1 visas specifically for international medical graduates, facilitating their participation in the fellowship 2.

Competitiveness

The fellowship is regarded as highly competitive, making it conducive to candidates with diverse educational backgrounds. While many fellows come from emergency medicine backgrounds, the welcoming nature of the program encourages applications from those in other fields of medicine, making it uniquely DO and IMG friendly 1.