Undergraduate Toxicology Teaching Forum

 

Sponsored by the AESOT and the SOT Education Committee

Chairperson: Thomas W. Simmons, Ph.D.

 

Monday, March 18, 2002

Opryland Hotel, Jackson B, 4:30-5:30 pm

Society of Toxicology, 41st Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN

 

Academic, government and industry toxicologists with interests in undergraduate toxicology curricula are invited to attend this roundtable discussion.  Survey results of where and why toxicology is being taught, and who is teaching it will be presented.  Also, a detailed questionnaire to review toxicology course content will be developed.  A goal of this forum is to begin developing a clearinghouse for undergraduate toxicology teaching information.

 

AGENDA

 

Self Introductions (4:30 PM)

 

Goal (4:40 PM)

 

Vision Statement

Improve the teaching of toxicology at the undergraduate level by sharing information and resources.

Discussion

 

Historical Perspective (4:50 PM)

 

Review

1980 – NIEHS Symposium and Workshop on Toxicology Training, Raleigh, NC.1

1992 – Forum on undergraduate toxicology coursework.  Satellite to SOT Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.

2001 – Undergraduate toxicology education initiative. SOT Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.

2002 – Undergraduate toxicology teaching forum.  SOT Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN.

Discussion

 

Internet Search of Undergraduate Programs Offering Toxicology Courses (5:00 PM)

 

Results

Discussion

 

Course Questionnaire for Toxicology Professors (5:10 PM)

 

Draft Presentation

Discussion

 

Future Activities (5:20 PM)

 

Sponsor an Undergraduate Toxicology Teaching Symposium at the SOT Annual Meeting 2003?

Develop an undergraduate toxicology teaching website?

Discussion

 

References

 

Krieger, Paul W. Ferguson (1979) An elective, survey course for undergraduates: “Introduction to Toxicology.” Vet Human Toxicol. 21:352-354.

1Schonwalder, C.O. (1981) NIEHS Holds toxicology training symposium. Vet. Hum. Toxicol. 23:110-122.

Ferguson, P.W., Bourn, W.M., Pope, C.N. and B.L. Roberts (1991) A bachelor of science toxicology program: Description, resources, student profiles and graduate placement.


 

MINUTES

 

Present: Lisa Bain, Gladys Bayse, George Corcoran, Kelly Ann Hogan, Vera Hudson, Jeffrey Johnson, Nancy Kerkvliet, Charles McQueen, Sharon Myer, Kim Miller, Steve Pernecky, Ann dePeyster, Wade Powell, Tom Simmons, Karen Stine, Lou Trombetta, Rita Turkall, James Wagner, Kristie Willet

 

Self introductions

­­­__________

 

Presentation - Vision Statement: Improve the teaching of toxicology at the undergraduate level by sharing information and resources.

 

Discussion Questions -

Is the visions statement reasonable?

Is this something we should do?

 

Discussion -

All thought that this initiative is a good idea.

 

Other Points Raised -

Recruitment of students into undergraduate toxicology programs and programs offering a toxicology course would also benefit by increased communication between professors.

SOT Needs more information on website targeting prospective and current undergraduate students.  Not just degree programs, but all programs offering toxicology courses.

Some SOT monies are available now to add an undergraduate toxicology page.

SOT Resource guide may not be the best vehicle for marketing undergraduate programs, since not all buy into it.

The guide may go online.  What is a reasonable charge for undergraduate toxicology programs to have their programs listed in the guide and posted on the web?

Internships for undergraduate students need to be developed and marketed as a recruitment tool.

There should be a brochure that is applicable for prospective and current undergraduate students.  Contact Betty Eidemiller for SOT brochure for review.

 

Action Steps -

·         Review SOT K-12 Website and provide input to SOT for developing a page for undergraduate toxicology students.

·         Obtain SOT K-12 brochure from Betty Eidemiller and evaluate for use with prospective and current undergraduate students.

 

__________

 

Presentation - Historical perspective of SOT undergraduate teaching initiatives presented.  Distributed and reviewed activities associated with TOX 80's and TOX 90's SOT Commissions in early 1980's and 1990's, respectively.

 

Discussion Question -

Can anyone fill in gaps on details related to undergraduate toxicology education activities at these times?

 

Discussion -

Two attendees today were present during last "Forum on Toxicology Coursework," held with 1992 SOT Annual Meeting in Seattle.  Apparently, it was useful for establishing a dialogue between undergraduate educators, but no lasting impact or procedures published.

 

Action Steps -

·         Contact Don Reed, chair of TOX 90's ad hoc Undergraduate Toxicology Task Force for more details.

 

__________

 

Presentation - Preliminary results of internet search for undergraduate toxicology courses with course descriptions and contacts identified, was presented.

 

Discussion Question - Would a directory be useful to facilitate sharing of information and resources?

 

Discussion -

All attendees felt that a directory with this information and links posted on the web would be useful and a good start to sharing information.

 

Other Points Raised -

This information would help programs in their self reviews.

A website would be useful for promoting toxicology course offerings in other chemistry, biology, etc., programs.

Professionals have not done enough to promote undergraduate toxicology programs.

Professors have been reluctant to send students to the SOT website because it lacks information pertinent to undergraduate students.

 

Action Steps -

·         Complete a more comprehensive survey of undergraduate toxicology courses and programs to be presented at SOT 2003.

__________

 

Presentation - A draft questionnaire for detailed data acquisition for courses identified in survey was presented.

 

Discussion Question - Should we collect more detailed information on courses, and this an appropriate tool?

 

Discussion -

All in attendance thought an on-line questionnaire was a good idea, and information would be valuable to assess the state of undergraduate toxicology in the U.S.

 

Action Steps -

 

·         Solicit feedback from attendees regarding the questionnaire.

·         Use revised questionnaire to collect detailed information about courses to be presented at SOT 2003.

 

__________

 

Presentation - Possible future activities were presented for discussion.

 

Discussion -

Attendees felt that this year should be used to complete data acquisition about undergraduate toxicology courses.

Results should be presented at SOT 2003.

We should not plan a symposium for SOT 2003, but rather for SOT 2004.  Planning should start this year based on results of survey and questionnaire.

Details of symposium should be finalized at follow-up forum at SOT 2003.

 

Action Steps -

 

·         Begin discussing and planning SOT 2004 Undergraduate Toxicology Teaching Symposium, based on results of survey and questionnaire.