Also called: Specialist in Poison Information, SPI
Answers emergency calls about poisonings, overdoses, snakebites, and kids who swallowed something they shouldn't.
Takes a call from a panicked parent whose toddler ate a dishwasher pod, decides in seconds whether the child needs the ER, and guides a hospital doctor through treating a rattlesnake bite. Every call is a puzzle.
Estimate; nurse specialists earn somewhat less than pharmacists.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Professional degree (MD, JD, DVM…), about 7 years after high school. Usually a pharmacist (PharmD) or nurse, plus poison center training and CSPI certification.
Ways in: 4-year college, Professional school, Certification. Training cost: Over $150k.
Majors to look at: Pharmacy (PharmD), Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, Nursing.
Growing about average. About 55 poison centers in the US; small field.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI chat could answer simple 'is this safe?' calls; urgent poisonings and guiding ER doctors stay expert human work.
Classes: AP Chemistry, AP Biology, Environmental science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 29-1051.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.