Staff Spotlight: Van Q.

Meet Van Q, PharmD., Certified Specialist in Poison Information

Van has been a pharmacist for eight years and spent the past five answering the Helpline at Washington Poison Center. She studied chemical engineering at the University of Washington before earning her PharmD from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

As a Certified Specialist in Poison Information, Van completed extensive training and continues to research a wide range of toxicology topics–most recently, chronic methotrexate poisoning. Her other interests include toxicosurveillance, acetaminophen, diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and anything in between.

Her favorite toxic trivia? The poison dart frog is one of the most poisonous animals on earth but they don’t even make their own poisons! They steal various poisons from the bugs they eat, then supercharge those poisons. Touching the skin of a golden poison frog with a cut on your finger could even be lethal.

Van loves working at Washington Poison Center because she’s constantly learning, solving problems, and making a direct impact on people’s lives. As one caller shared, “I spoke with Van and she was absolutely amazing! She was calm, informative, and everything I needed in that scary moment when my 2-year-old son might have consumed toxic berries. I will forever be grateful to her and the resource of Washington Poison Center.”

When she’s not working or receiving glowing feedback from callers and colleagues, you can find Van speed skiing, reading, or learning about sea animals.

*Disclaimer: Don’t eat the poisonous Amanita muscaria mushroom Van is pretending to gobble in the photo above!