Associate Professor
Medical Toxicologist, Regional Poison Control Center
Course Director, Medical Toxicology Student Rotation
Research and Clinical Interests
medical toxicology, serotonin-related neurotoxicity, management of envenomations, cardiovascular toxins
Biography
William Rushton MD is an assistant professor, practicing Emergency Medicine physician and Medical Toxicologist. After finishing medical school at Georgetown University, he pursued residency (emergency medicine), chief residency, and fellowship (medical toxicology) at the University of Virginia Medical Center. He has published on trends in toxicology including changing patterns of drug abuse, limits in testing, and approaches to managing the intoxicated patient. He has also recently presented his findings at both National and European Toxicology Meetings. He currently is a Medical Toxicologist at the Regional Poison Control Center of Alabama and co-course director of the medical toxicology education rotation for medical students and residents.
Certifications
American Board of Emergency Medicine
Medical Toxicology
Selected Publications
Rushton, WF and Charlton, NP. Dexmedetomidine in the Treatment of Serotonin Syndrome. Ann Pharmacother. 2014 Aug 28.
Rushton WF, Vakkalanka JP, Moak JH, Charlton NP. Negative predictive value of excluding an embedded snake foreign body by ultrasonography. Wildnerness and Environmental Medicine. 2015 Jun 30;26(2):227-31.
Vakkalanka P, Rushton WF, Hardison LS, Bishop MC, Haverstick DM, Holstege CP. Evaluation of the initiation of urine drug screens intended for use in transfer patients.Am J Emerg Med. 2014 Jun 14. pii: S0735-6757(14)00437-9
Mohorn PL,Vakkalanka JP, Rushton WF, Hardison LS, Woloszyn AV, Holstege CP, and Corbett SM. Evaluation of dexmedetomidine therapy for sedation in patients with toxicological events at an academic medical center. Clin Tox (Phil). Jun 2014, Vol. 52, No. 5: 525–530.
Rushton WF, Charlton JR, Charlton NP. Arsenic elimination in the urine after crustacean ingestion. Presented at XXXIV International Congress of the European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists. 2014, Brussels, Belgium
Rushton WF, Vakkalanka JP, Grangeia L, Pierce MC, Holstege CP. A characterization of the overuse of toxic alcohol screening tests. Presented at XXXIV International Congress of the European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists. 2014, Brussels, Belgium
Education
Medical School
Georgetown University
Residency
University of Virginia
Contact
Office Location
OHB 251
Email
wfr@uab.edu
Phone
205-975-7387