One of the goals of our eAntidote blog is to introduce you to the real poison experts who answer the phones at the Maryland Poison Center (MPC), as well as our staff members. In addition to being nurses and pharmacists, they are parents, grandparents, artists, athletes, sports fans, and more! Read the Q&A below to get to know one of our specialists: Robert P.
Why did you go into the field of pharmacy?
Funny story- I was on a beach in the U.S. Virgin Islands deciding what I wanted to do next with career. I had graduated with my masters and was working in public health but I was ready for more. I decided that pharmacy would be the perfect use of the things I was good at with working in public health- still serving in public health, but doing more science-based and clinical work. During pharmacy school, I took toxicology courses because they interested me after studying biochemistry and microbiology.
How did you end up working at the poison center?
I learned about the poison center as a fourth year pharmacy student doing my drug Information rotation at a poison center. This deepened my interest and knowledge foundation in toxicology. Luckily I was at the right place at the right time while they were hiring! Even before graduation, I knew that poison control was absolutely the career path for me. And here I am nearly 15 years later!
What do you enjoy most about your work?
Aside from my awesome colleagues, I would say that my favorite thing about the job is the sense of fulfillment from helping people when they need us the most. We are able to have an immediate positive impact on our callers.
Why are poison centers and poison specialists like you important?
Poison centers allow for a rich interdisciplinary collaboration. Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, first responders, and others all get different training and bring a unique perspective on patient care to the table. It’s awesome that when you talk with a poison center, there are a lot of different providers that collaborate to provide the best, well-rounded care for patients.
What’s an important message you want to share about poison safety?
Know your medicines! It’s important to know the name of the medicines you take, how much to take, when to take them, the reason you take them, and so much more! We often get calls where the patients don’t know what medicines they take or why they are taking them. It’s important to know this information to keep you safe, and also make it easier to communicate with your health care team, and especially in times of emergency when you need to call us.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
When I’m not at work I’m the Iron Chef around the house, so I love experimenting with new recipes and cooking up a storm! Beyond that, I’m following motorsport, playing air guitar (loudly), enjoying local craft beer, traveling the globe with My Fair Lady, and hanging out with our two rambunctious orange kitties.
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