National Case Conference - June 2025

Joshua D. King, MD, FACMT is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Pharmacy and the Medical Director of the Maryland Poison Center at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He earned his medical degree from Penn State College of Medicine, followed by an Internal Medicine residency and chief residency at the University of Virginia. He then completed a Nephrology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital and, after returning to the University of Virginia as a nephrologist, pursued further specialization through a Medical Toxicology fellowship. Dr. King is a dual-specialized clinician-educator in nephrology and medical toxicology, with clinical expertise in extracorporeal treatments for poisonings, therapeutic drug removal, ICU nephrology, and medical education. At the University of Maryland Medical Center, he provides care through both the nephrology and medical toxicology consultation services, focusing on hospitalized patients. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. King is deeply involved in graduate medical education, training residents and fellows, as well as teaching undergraduate medical students. As the Medical Director of the Maryland Poison Center, he oversees the clinical management of poisoning, envenomation, and overdose cases for both the public and healthcare providers. His role also includes educating medical and pharmacy students and supervising physicians who rotate through the center. Dr. King’s research interests lie at the intersection of nephrology and toxicology, particularly in the extracorporeal removal of toxins through modalities such as dialysis and apheresis.

Dr. Rafael "Rafa" Lima graduated from medical school at Baylor College of Medicine and completed residency in Emergency Medicine at Northwestern University. During medical school, he was president of EMIG and led numerous educational workshops with a focus in medical simulation. He also served as director of volunteers of a statewide CPR instruction initiative. During residency, he tutored medical students, participated in clinical research on fentanyl test strips, and was an analytic chair for the very popular residency open access medical education website. He is interested in clinical care, bedside teaching, and education.

Dr. Brandtly Yakey completed his Emergency Medicine residency at Sparrow/(formerly Michigan State University) and a Medical Toxicology Fellowship at the Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center. He currently works as an emergency physician at Henry Ford Hospital and takes call for the Michigan Poison & Drug Information Center. He is the current Education Director of the MiPDC. He was the 2025 recipient of the Charles E. Becker Medal for Outstanding Achievement as a Medical Toxicology Fellow.