title: Guidelines for preclerkship bioterrorism curricula.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop medical school curriculum guidelines related to bioterrorism to ensure that future medical graduates are armed with the critical knowledge, skills, and attitudes to face this emerging threat.
  
  
  METHODS
  An Internet-based Delphi survey was performed in 2002 under the auspices of the Association of Medical School Microbiology and Immunology Chairs involving 64 medical educators in microbiology, immunology, and infectious diseases representing 54 U.S. medical schools. A 12-member bioterrorism expert reference panel participated in the final phase of the survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study participants identified the top educational objectives for the following bioterrorism-related curriculum categories: general issues, biodefense, public health, infection control, infectious diseases, and toxins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study focused on preparedness training through the development of curricular guidelines in predominantly preclerkship medical education by identifying basic science and clinical laboratory aspects of putative biologic weapons organisms and toxins, clinical manifestations of bioterrorist attacks, treatment strategies, epidemiology, and prophylaxis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, City University of New York (CUNY) Medical School, Convent Avenue and 138th Street, New York,NY 10031, USA. coico@med.cuny.edu
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coico
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kachur
authors.forename: Viera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lipper
mesh_terms: D000486:Allergy and Immunology / Q000193:education; D023482:Bioterrorism; D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods; D003479:Curriculum; D003697:Delphi Technique; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D008829:Microbiology / Q000193:education*; D011634:Public Health / Q000193:education*; D014118:Toxins, Biological; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D014118:Toxins, Biological