Membership in the Forensic Toxicology Section

Academy Requirements

Both at the time of application and at the time the application is being considered for approval, an applicant for Student Affiliate status must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program that would support a forensic science career accepted by the section to which application is being made.  Each Student Affiliate must certify eligibility annually with the AAFS.

Student Affiliate status may be maintained for two consecutive calendar years beginning at the end of the calendar year within which graduation occurs. During the two-year period, once employment in a forensic discipline recognized by a section of the AAFS is attained, Student Affiliates will be required to upgrade their membership to Trainee Affiliate or Associate Member.

Section Requirements

1. AAFS Basic Requirements for Student Affiliate must be fulfilled; and
2. Must provide an enrollment verification letter confirming their student status. The letter must come from the academic advisor, program director, or department chair.

Academy Requirements

Trainee Affiliate status is limited to persons who have completed the educational requirements, but not the experience requirements for Associate Member in the section to which application is being made. Both at the time of application and at the time the application is being considered for approval, applicants for Trainee Affiliate status must be actively working toward completion of the experience requirements by participating in a training program or employment that supports a forensic science career accepted by the section. Each Trainee Affiliate must certify eligibility annually.

Section Requirements

1. AAFS Basic Requirements for Trainee Affiliate must be fulfilled; and
2. Must provide a letter of reference that verifies their trainee status (volunteer and unpaid intern positions do not qualify). The letter must be from their immediate supervisor confirming active training in a forensic science discipline with additional section-specific information provided about the program requirements and methodologies being applied.

Academy Requirements

Academy membership shall be available only to those persons of professional competence, integrity, and good moral character:

1. who are actively engaged in the field of forensics sciences and who have made some significant contribution to the literature of forensic sciences, or
2. who have advanced the cause of forensic science in some other significant manner, and
3. who satisfy the requirements for membership of the section applied to or recommended for, and
4. who have earned a baccalaureate or higher academic degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by one of the regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education, or from a non-U.S. college or university bearing equivalent accreditation.

Section Requirements

1. AAFS Basic Requirements for Associate Member must be fulfilled; and
2. Applicant must have earned a baccalaureate or graduate degree in one (1) of the natural sciences from an accredited institution, and sixteen (16) semester 
   credit hours in chemistry; and
3. Provide transcripts of chemistry credits, for both graduate, if applicable, and undergraduate. International applicants will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis if their transcripts do not document the required sixteen (16) hours of chemistry as hours or credits and may be subject to additional requirements; and
4. Be actively engaged in forensic toxicology for at least one (1) year immediately prior to application; and a. Have made a significant contribution to the literature of forensic toxicology; or b. Have been pursuing a course of study for at least one (1) year for an advanced degree applicable to the educational needs of a forensic toxicologist; or c. Have advanced the cause of forensic toxicology by laboratory service or in some other significant manner; and
5. Two (2) letters of reference. At least one (1) reference must be from a Member or a Fellow of the Toxicology Section of the AAFS and must be able to comment knowledgeably on the applicant's qualifications. One may be from an individual who can comment knowledgeably about the applicant's involvement in forensic toxicology (such as supervisor). Exceptions to this requirement may be considered for applicants residing outside of the United States and Canada, in which case, two references from non-members must be submitted and may be otherwise evaluated or accepted if approved by a majority vote of the membership present at an annual business meeting of the section. 

Academy Requirements

The criteria for promotion are applicable to all members seeking promotion to Member or to Fellow. Applications must be received and completed by October 1 to be considered for approval at the AAFS annual conference.

The criteria for original membership, as stated in the bylaws for the AAFS Basic Requirements, still apply to promotions:

Membership shall be available only to those persons of professional competence, integrity, and good moral character:

1. Who are actively engaged in the field of forensic sciences and who have made some significant contribution to the literature of forensic science, or
2. Who have advanced the cause of forensic science in some other significant manner; and
3. Who satisfy the requirements for membership of the section applied to or recommended for; and
4. Who have earned a baccalaureate or higher academic degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by one of the regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education, or from a non-U.S. college or university bearing equivalent accreditation.

 In addition, the following criteria for service to the AAFS and to forensic science in general are used:

1. Service to the AAFS. This includes attendance at the annual conferences and participation in the program. Attendance at a minimum of one (1) conference is required for advancement from Associate Member to Member and one additional conference for advancement from Member to Fellow. However, if exigencies such as workload requirements, finances, or ill health preclude such attendance, this will be taken into consideration. It is AAFS policy that members who exhibit at the annual conference must pay the conference registration fee, if the exhibitor wishes to receive continuing education credit or count the conference attendance toward fulfilling a requirement for membership promotion.
2. Service in the general area of forensic sciences. This is intended to recognize the individual who performs outstanding service in the execution of his/her regular responsibilities but who, in so doing, is unable to excel in other endeavors.
3. Service in the area of forensic science research. Any contribution which the individual has made since his/her admission to the AAFS, or latest advancement will be given consideration.
4. Service in the area of forensic science education or training. Any effort (either by formal or informal curricula) to disseminate the scientific information which the individual has acquired throughout his/her career will be considered.

Section Requirements

While serving as an Associate Member, the applicant must:

1. Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion; and
2. Register and attend a minimum of one (1) annual conference of the AAFS. The conference at which the title of Associate Member was conferred, if attended may be counted; however, the conference at which the title of Member is being considered shall not be counted; and
3. Attend one (1) Toxicology Section business meeting. Note: if the annual conference requirement (as described in 2.) for promotion was fulfilled prior to 2021, the section business meeting requirement will be waived; and
4. Be actively engaged in the field of forensic toxicology at the time of application
5. for advancement.
6. Serve as an Associate Member for a minimum of two (2) years.

Academy Requirements 

The criteria for promotion are applicable to all members seeking promotion to Member or to Fellow. Applications must be received and completed by October 1 to be considered for approval at the AAFS annual conference.

The criteria for original membership, as stated in the bylaws for the AAFS Basic Requirements, still apply to promotions:

Membership shall be available only to those persons of professional competence, integrity, and good moral character:

1. Who are actively engaged in the field of forensic sciences and who have made some significant contribution to the literature of forensic science, or
2. Who have advanced the cause of forensic science in some other significant manner; and
3. Who satisfy the requirements for membership of the section applied to or recommended for; and
4. Who have earned a baccalaureate or higher academic degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by one of the regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education, or from a non-U.S. college or university bearing equivalent accreditation.

 In addition, the following criteria for service to the AAFS and to forensic science in general are used:

1. Service to the AAFS. This includes attendance at the annual conferences and participation in the program. Attendance at a minimum of one (1) conference is required for advancement from Associate Member to Member and one additional conference for advancement from Member to Fellow. However, if exigencies such as workload requirements, finances, or ill health preclude such attendance, this will be taken into consideration. It is AAFS policy that members who exhibit at the annual conference must pay the conference registration fee, if the exhibitor wishes to receive continuing education credit or count the conference attendance toward fulfilling a requirement for membership promotion.
2. Service in the general area of forensic sciences. This is intended to recognize the individual who performs outstanding service in the execution of his/her regular responsibilities but who, in so doing, is unable to excel in other endeavors.
3. Service in the area of forensic science research. Any contribution which the individual has made since his/her admission to the AAFS, or latest advancement will be given consideration.
4. Service in the area of forensic science education or training. Any effort (either by formal or informal curricula) to disseminate the scientific information which the individual has acquired throughout his/her career will be considered.

Section Requirements

1. While serving as a Member, the applicant must:
2. Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion; and
3. Be actively engaged in forensic toxicology at the time of application for
4. Advancement; and
5. Register and attend a minimum of two (2) annual conferences of the AAFS after becoming a Member. The conference at which the title of Member was conferred, if attended, may be counted; however, the conference at which the title of Fellow is being considered shall not be counted; and
6. Attend two (2) Toxicology Section business meetings after becoming a Member. Note: if the annual conference requirement (as described in 3.) for promotion was fulfilled prior to 2021, the section business meeting requirement will be waived; and
7. Advance the work and purpose of the Toxicology Section in four (4) or more of the following ways while an Associate Member or Member: 

a. AAFS service and participation (mandatory completion of at least two (2) items): 

1. Serve as presenting author of a presentation at an AAFS event. One (1) presentation can be substituted for authorship on a publication submitted to Journal of Forensic Sciences, or substituted for co-authorship on at least two (2) presentations at an AAFS event; or 
2. Serve as a moderator or abstract reviewer at two (2) annual conferences; or 
3. Serve one (1) year on an AAFS committee (Academy or Section level); or 
4. Participate in AAFS forensic science outreach and development programs (e.g., CSI camps, Young Forensic Scientists Forum, International Education Outreach Program, FEPAC, etc.); or 
5. Participate in ASB standards development process; or 
6. Serve one (1) year as a mentor in the AAFS mentoring program.

b. Non-AAFS forensic science participation (optional completion of no more than two items):

1. Publish peer-reviewed and/or formal publication in forensic science or related journal other than the Journal of Forensic Sciences; or
2. Teach forensic science-related courses (must provide course curriculum; minimum of ten (10) contract hours); or
3. Participate in forensic science outreach programs outside of AAFS; or
4. Participate in national or international standards development-related activities outside of ASB (e.g., ASTM, ISO, ADA, NFPA, OSAC, etc.); or
5. Obtain certification by the American Board of Forensic Toxicology (ABFT).

References not required.