Medical Toxicology Fellowship

Photo used with permission of Brent Furbee, MD

Medical Toxicology Fellowship

Photo used with permission of Brent Furbee, MD

The Division of Medical Toxicology at Indiana University School of Medicine produces physicians capable of providing care to any poisoned patient. Training in the Medical Toxicology Fellowship program offers:

Hands-on management of poised patients at three large inner-city hospitals and a large children's hospital - all regional and statewide tertiary referral centers
Consultations through the Indiana Poison Center regarding poisoned patients throughout the state of Indiana and surrounding areas.
Weekly didactics covering all areas of toxicology
Outpatient clinic for neurotoxicology cases
Opportunities for basic science and clinic research in the field of toxicology
Involvement in forensic toxicology cases
Clinical education of residents and students rotating on the toxicology service
Mentored scholarly and quality improvement projects
Dedicated didactic series featuring topics to enhance the academic career

Clinical Services

Indiana Poison Control center staff at work in the call center

Indiana Poison Center

The Indiana Poison Center (IPC) is an independent nonprofit agency providing coverage and services for the state of Indiana. It serves as both an emergency telephone service and an information resource center, with services available to the general public and health care professionals 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The IPC is the designated Regional Poison Information Center for Indiana and is certified by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). It is a collaborative effort of the Indiana State Department of Health, Indiana University Health, the Federal HRSA Poison Control Program and health care providers throughout the state. Services are confidential and free to the public.

Contact: 800-222-1222

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Drs. Brenner and Harris talk through a case in the clinic

Clinical Toxicology Consulting Services

Medical Toxicology is active in community and medical staff education, and a clinical toxicology rotation is available to medical students and house staff. Medical Toxicology supports an inpatient clinical toxicology consult service at IU Health Methodist Hospital, Eskenazi Hospital, IU Health University Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. Started in 1992, the toxicology clinical service currently sees approximately 750 patients a year. Seven board certified medical toxicologists run the service.

Clinical Venues

All of our clinical venues are within a 1.5-mile radius.

IU Health Methodist Hospital

Urban tertiary referral center nationally recognized for stroke care and organ transplants
Home base for toxicology team and poison center
Level 1 Trauma Center
Emergency Department with more than 90,000 patients per year; 20% admission rate
More than 800 beds and over 130 critical care beds
ECMO capability

Eskenazi Health

Large urban county hospital with 315 beds
Level 1 Trauma Center
Burn center
Emergency Department with over 100,000 patients per year; 14% admission rate

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Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health

One of the nation’s leading children’s hospitals with more than 370 beds
Nationally ranked specialties, including cancer, cardiology, diabetes and neurology
Indiana’s only pediatric Level 1 Trauma Center
Emergency Department with more than 50,000 patients per year; 17% admission rate

IU Health University Hospital

Academic teaching and referral hospital
Home to the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indiana’s only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center
Leading organ transplant center

Medical Toxicology Faculty

Louise Kao, MD, FACMT

Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine

Medical Toxicology Fellowship Director
Medical Toxicology Resident Rotation Director
Vice President of American College of Medical Toxicology
2018 American Medical Women's Association Exceptional Mentoring Award
ALIEM Editor - Toxicology Visual Pearls
Emergency Medicine Faculty, IU Health Methodist Hospital

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Kris Nanagas, MD, FACMT

Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine

Division Chief, Medical Toxicology
Orientation Committee
Emergency Department Disaster Response Team
Emergency Medicine Faculty, IU Health Methodist Hospital

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Blake Froberg, MD, FACMT

Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine and Clinical Pediatrics

Medical Director of the Indiana Poison Center
Pediatric Hospitalist, Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health

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Mary E. Wermuth, MD

Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine

Director of Medical Toxicology Service
IU Emergency Medicine Women's Mentoring Group
Exceptional Mentor Award, IU School of Medicine
Co-founder, Medical Toxicology Clinical Service
Emergency Medicine Faculty, IU Health Methodist Hospital

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Jennifer Acciani, MD, FACMT

Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine

Director of Toxicology Medical Student Rotation
Creator, Medical Toxicology Module, Transitions 3 Course, IU School of Medicine
Emergency Medicine Faculty, Eskenazi Health

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Robert S. Avera, MD

Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine

Research - Grand Challenges Study on Novel Drugs of Abuse
Emergency Medicine Faculty, IU Health Methodist Hospital and IU Health West Hospital

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Adam Overberg, PharmD, BCPS, DABAT

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine

Director, Indiana Poison Center
Director, Clinical Toxicology Fellowship Program
Director, Toxicology Rotation for Pharmacy Students and PGY1/PGY2 Residents
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Indiana University Health

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Dan Rusyniak, MD, FACMT - Volunteer Faculty

Professor of Emergency Medicine

CMO, Indiana Family and Social Service Administration
Dantastic Mr. Tox Podcast
Tox and Hound blog on EM-Crit
Emergency Medicine Faculty, Eskenazi Health

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Brent Furbee, MD, FACMT - Emeritus Faculty

Professor Emeritus of Clinical Emergency Medicine

Established Medical Toxicology Resident Rotation (1998) and Fellowship (1995)
Founder of Medical Toxicology Clinical Service
Section Chair, ACMT Legal Section
Plants and Envenomations expert

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Laura Tormoehlen, MD, FACMT, FAAN

Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology and Emergency Medicine

Director of Adult Neurology Services, IU Health Methodist Hospital
Vice Chair for Clinical Practice, IU Department of Neurology
Associate Program Director, IU Neurology Residency Program
Neurotoxicology Clinic
Neurology Faculty, IU Health Methodist Hospital

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Medical Toxicology Fellows

Bryan J. Ross, MD

PGY 5

Bryan Ross, MD, is a second-year Medical Toxicology fellow and junior faculty in the Department of Emergency Medicine. A faculty member in IU Emergency Medicine since 2019, Dr. Ross graduated from the University of Toledo College of Medicine in 2016 and completed his residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center/Strong Memorial Hospital in 2019. He served as chief resident in 2018-2019. Dr. Ross currently works in the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hospital emergency department. Within the division of medical toxicology, Dr. Ross’s interests include toxic envenomations and acetaminophen exposures, with an ongoing research project focusing on pediatric Fomepizole use in toxic alcohol poisoning. Outside of medicine, his interests include skiing, playing guitar and distance running.

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Marielle A. Brenner, MD

PGY 4

Marielle Brenner, MD, attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison for both undergraduate and medical school before completing her emergency medicine residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Dr. Brenner completed research projects pertaining to opioid prescribing patterns to patients with acute fractures and hyperglycemia in calcium channel blocker overdose. She also developed a set of pain management guidelines for common ED complaints with the Wisconsin Chapter of ACEP. Dr. Brenner ultimately decided on a fellowship in Medical Toxicology to continue her education on the presentation and management of acute poisonings. Her interests include acetaminophen overdose, cardiac channel blocker overdose, the opioid pandemic, medical advocacy and global health. In her free time, Dr. Brenner likes spending time with her husband exploring new restaurants, watching movies and museum hopping; otherwise she is snuggling with her two cats.

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Alumni

Robert Avera, MD - 2020
Jerry Snow, MD – 2015
Laura Tormoehlen, MD – 2012
Jen Acciani, MD – 2011
Anna Arroyo, MD – 2010
Blake Froberg, MD – 2007
Danyal Ibrahim, MD – 2006
Ayrn O’Connor, MD – 2005
Kris Nanagas, MD – 2004
Bryan Judge, MD – 2003
Louise Kao, MD – 2002
Lisa Snyder, MD, MPH – 2001
Daniel Rusyniak, MD – 2001
William Dribben, MD – 2000
Christopher Holstege, MD – 1998
Mary Wermuth, MD – 1997
Jane Witman, MD – 1996