Integrating Public Health and Informatics into Undergraduate Medical Education: Utilization of an Innovative Bioterrorism Awareness Training Module

Date

2003-08-01

Authors

Lippolis, L. Charolette

ORCID

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Abstract

Lippolis, L. Charolette, Integrating Public Health and Informatics into Undergraduate Medical Education: Utilization of an Innovative Bioterrorism Awareness Training Module. Master of Public Health (Dual-Degree, DO/MPH), August 2003, 19 pp., 5 tables, references, 15 titles. On October 4, 2001, the first case of inhalation anthrax in U.S. history due to an intentional human act was diagnosed; convincing even the most skeptical American that bioterrorism is a real and present threat in this country. Despite its emergence as an important medical and public health issue, a serious deficit in bioterrorism preparedness training has been recognized throughout the medical community, particularly in undergraduate medical education. In the face of the established need for bioterrorism awareness training, an overriding issue facing medical educators is how to incorporate more information into already over-packed curricula. The sheer volume of medical knowledge is becoming too vast to be taught by “traditional methods”. Integration of multiple subject areas, using a variety of presentation formats, is the key to providing medical students with the breadth and depth of skills and knowledge necessary to become competent physicians in the 21st century. This paper describes a unique adaptable, bioterrorism awareness training module designed for preclinical medical students that is inexpensive and will easily integrate into a wide variety of existing curricula. This course serves not only to educate students about bioterrorism and weapons of mass destruction, but in addition will increase their understanding of the Public Health system and disease reporting requirements, while providing experience in utilizing on-line resources for knowledge acquisition. The format for this course is based upon educational data derived from two different bioterrorism preparedness training modules presented to the first year osteopathic medical students in the academic years 2001-02 and 2002-03.

Description

Citation