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. 2023 Sep-Oct;42(5):430-444.
doi: 10.1177/10915818231184411. Epub 2023 Jun 23.

Updating the Standards of Professional Competence in the Field of Toxicology: The Second Generation of Best Practice

Nicole V Soucy  1 , Susie Masten  2 , Carla Caro  3 , Ann M Arthur  3 , Nadia H Moore  4 , Michelle J Hooth  5 , Robert Mitkus  6
Affiliations

Updating the Standards of Professional Competence in the Field of Toxicology: The Second Generation of Best Practice

Nicole V Soucy et al. Int J Toxicol. 2023 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

The American Board of Toxicology (ABT), in consultation with ACT Credentialing & Career Services (ACT), performed a practice analysis study of general toxicology in 2020-21. This work follows up on an initial practice analysis commissioned by the ABT and conducted in 2014-2015, results of which were published in 2016. The purpose of the current, second-generation study was to update and validate the existing process-based delineation of practice of general toxicologists, including major domains of responsibility and tasks performed in practice. In addition, the study included the review, update, and validation of the knowledge areas required by toxicologists developed by subject-matter experts (SMEs) that have been used for ABT examination development initiatives. Consistent with best practices in the field of credentialing, ABT also contracted with ACT to conduct 2 follow-on activities: a study to evaluate the reliability of a reduced-length ABT examination and a standard setting study to establish a valid passing score for the updated examination. In addition to informing ongoing ABT certification examination and question writing activities, it is anticipated that the results of this practice analysis will be of value to those responsible for developing graduate and undergraduate toxicology curricula, creating continuing education content, and authoring textbooks covering the contemporary practice of toxicology.

Keywords: board certification; credentialing; practice analysis; professional competence; toxicology.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: S. Masten is the Executive Director for the American Board of Toxicology and is retained under contract by the BoD to provide this service. C. Caro and A. Arthur are employees of ACT and were retained as consultants by the American Board of Toxicology to provide their scientific expertise in the areas of credentialing and psychometrics, respectively. N. Moore is a current ABT board member, serving in an individual capacity; she is employed by J.S. Held LLC, and has provided consultation for a broad spectrum of toxicological services and expert testimony in litigation. M. Hooth is a former ABT board member, serving in an individual capacity; she is employed by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. N.V. Soucy is a former ABT board member, serving in an individual capacity; she is employed by Boston Scientific Corporation. R. Mitkus is a former ABT board member, serving in an individual capacity. He is employed by NAMSA.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Task force overview and members.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Distribution of counts of mean task frequency ratings.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Distribution of counts of mean importance ratings.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Distribution of counts of mean knowledge importance ratings.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Assessment of completeness of the delineation to general toxicology practice.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Test specification for the American Board of Toxicology certification exam.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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