American Board of Applied Toxicology

The American Board of Applied Toxicology (ABAT) was established in 1985 as a standing committee by the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology. The board functions to recognize and credential clinical toxicologists who have demonstrated competence in the management of toxicity related to poisoning, overdose, chemical exposure, envenomation, or environmental exposures.^[1] Candidates for board certification are health professionals (pharmacists, nurses, PhD biomedical scientists) with minimum perquisite experience in poisoning and overdose management as well as satisfactory experience in other core areas such as toxicology research, public health, and outreach. The ABAT establishes minimum competency for clinical toxicologists (professionals who manage poisoning, overdose, and chemical toxicity) via administering examinations and maintaining certification renewal of diplomates.^[1] Successfully passing the ABAT board certification exam provides the taker a designation of Diplomate of the American Board of Applied Toxicology (DABAT).^[1] A DABAT designation privileges the clinical toxicologist to provide medical back up and consultation on poisoning, drug overdoses, or toxicity, often via poison centers.^[2] The DABAT designation also has legal implication in allowing credentialed toxicologists to manage a poison center in the United States.^[3][4][5] Credentialed DABAT members must recertify every 5 years via an application demonstrating continued competence and activity in clinical toxicology.