This fall, while working on the SOT National Capital Area Regional Chapter (NCAC SOT) symposium, I had the opportunity to engage with toxicologists at different stages of their careers and find out what the NCAC SOT can do to make the professional journey as a toxicologist fun and interesting. I learned that each toxicologist feels overwhelmed keeping up with the science and practice of toxicology. Toxicologists want to find a simple way to keep up to date and identify ways to advance their expertise in toxicology. Here is the advice that I provided to each toxicologist:
- Read SOT publications! SOT provides with you with an interesting blog that is updated weekly. The articles are shared in a weekly email message from SOT, and they also can be accessed from the SOT website home page—and better yet, you can contribute to the blog. ToxSci is one of the best publications in our field and represents our collective research efforts. Make use of it. For those of you still getting ToxSci mailed to you via snail mail, I encourage you to read it, as opposed to placing it on your “to read” pile on your desk that never gets read (and I know there are dozens of you out there!).
- Attend SOT-sponsored regional, national, and thematic meetings! Learning about the advances in toxicology and related disciplines (risk assessment, alternatives assessment, exposure assessment) is not magic! I learn by doing, and I attend meetings with active participation and questioning. Definitely attend the SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo on March 10–14, 2019, in Baltimore. There are 73 Scientific Sessions and 14 CE courses planned for the meeting, so plenty for each of us to learn from! There are now 18 SOT Regional Chapters, so unless you are reading this from the International Space Station, there is a regional meeting just waiting for you. Take the time to attend your SOT Regional Chapter meetings, and provide your local chapter with feedback on what you liked and didn’t like about the symposium so that your regional chapter caters to you. If you cannot attend a meeting in person, SOT Regional Chapters, Special Interest Groups, Specialty Sections, and other groups host webinars throughout the year on a wide variety of topics—from the latest in scientific research to career development tips.
- Consider becoming a Diplomate! Becoming a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology (DABT) is not for everyone, but it will compel you to study areas that you may not normally work in, and this will make you a better toxicologist. The “new” DABT exam is better balanced at assessing a toxicologist’s qualifications to assess the harm of substances to humans and the environment. A senior toxicologist from the consulting field took the DABT exam this fall and remarked to me that ecotoxicity-related questions were peppered throughout the exam (kudos, ABT Board!). I have been a DABT for a good number of years, and I just downloaded the ABT Practice App on Google Play (the app is also available through iTunes). It is actually fun to answer the questions on my phone and bolster my skill set!
As members of SOT, we have each pledged to fulfill the Society’s Code of Ethics and share our knowledge with each other and the public and be thoughtful advocates for human, animal, and environmental health.
One of my favorite quotes is from Yoda in the Star Wars film franchise, who said, “Do, or do not. There is no ‘try’!” Similarly, I encourage each of you to dive in and “Do” get involved in Society activities!