Upstate New York Poison Center Welcomes Only 4th Medical Director in 64-Year History
FOR RELEASE: July 1, 2021
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Upstate New York Poison Center today welcomes a new Medical Director, Dr. Vincent Calleo. Dr. Calleo will assume the role as just the 4th person to hold this title in the poison center’s 64-year history. Dr. Calleo has spent the last two years with the poison center as a Medical Toxicology Fellow. Prior to coming to us, Dr. Calleo completed undergraduate work at Binghamton University, medical school at SUNY Upstate Medical University, an Emergency Medicine Residency and Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship at SUNY Upstate. Along with his role as Medical Director of the Upstate New York Poison Center, Dr. Calleo will also be an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at SUNY Upstate.
"I am thrilled to have this opportunity to build on all of the amazing work of my predecessor, Dr. Michael Hodgman, and I hope to continue to lead the poison center toward a successful future,” says Dr. Calleo, “It has been an honor to spend my career at SUNY Upstate Medical University and expand my knowledge with the recent two-year fellowship and learn from some of the most accomplished toxicologists out there.”
“Dr. Calleo has quickly become a valued member of our poison center. His knowledge and background make him the perfect person for the job,” says Michele Caliva, administrative director of the poison center, “As the medical director of the poison center, he will lead the medical direction of the department. He will also work with the management team in continuing to sustain and grow the poison center.”
Dr. Calleo will take the helm from Dr. Michael Hodgman. Dr. Hodgman started as Medical Director in 2018 but has been a part of the poison center since 2000. Dr. Hodgman is credited with starting our current Medical Toxicology Fellowship Program in 2011. He will stay on with the poison center as Associate Medical Director.
“Dr. Hodgman enthusiastically helped lead our poison center these past three years through many changes, including how we responded during the pandemic,” says Dr. Christine Stork, clinical director of the poison center, “He has been an integral part of our center since his start with us more than 20 years ago. He started our medical toxicology fellowship, the toxicology outpatient clinic and has been a leader in evolving the poison center into what it is today.”
The changeover officially begins July 1.
In the case of a poisoning or for information purposes, call the Upstate New York Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. We are open 24/7, 365 days a year. Each year our center manages more than 50,000 calls from health care providers, 911 operators, hospitals, industry, schools, and the general public in our 54-county service area.
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About Upstate New York Poison Center
Housed inside Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, the Upstate New York Poison Center is dedicated to reducing the number, cost and severity of poisonings within its designated 54-county service area as mandated by New York State Law. The Center is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to both health professionals and the general public at 1-800-222-1222.
About Upstate Medical University
SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, is the only academic medical center in Central New York. It is also the region's largest employer with 9,460 employees. Affiliated with the State University of New York, Upstate's mission is to improve the health of the community through education, biomedical research and health care.
