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Chemistry is the starting point, says Dietrich Mebs, secretary of the International
Society on Toxinology.
"As a medical or pharmaceutical student starts with pharmacology, a chemical
student gets contact with an analytical lab," she says. "Toxicology is a lot
of chemical analytical work."
"A firm foundation in hard sciences is essential," says Linda S. Birnbaum.
She is the director of the environmental toxicology division of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. "Take as many courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics
and even statistics as you can."
The Society of Forensic Toxicologists recommends that people wanting to
specialize in forensics get training in biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology
and pathology in addition to analytical chemistry.
Advanced education is a must, says Keith Solomon, director of the Center
for Toxicology. "If you want to truly go somewhere in this field, an undergraduate
degree is probably not enough. You should be thinking of graduate school."