Four, two-day bioterrorism symposia have been scheduled for across Nebraska
to help educate health-care workers about the indicators of bioterrorism-related
illnesses, as well as treatments for those illnesses.
The symposia are being sponsored by the Nebraska Bioterrorism Education
Consortium and are being developed by the Rural Health Education Network.
With questions, please call the UNMC Rural Health Education Network office
at (402) 559-9509.
General sessions will include a state of the state address by Richard
Raymond, M.D., chief medical officer for the state of Nebraska; an overview
of the resources of the Nebraska Center for Bioterrorism Education by Sharon
Medcalf, the Nebraska bioterrorism education coordinator; and presentations
on smallpox overview: epidemiology to prevention, by Jose Romero, M.D.;
on medical effects of ionizing radiation, by Col. Thomas Baldwin, M.D.;
and on mental health considerations during a disaster, by Eugene Schmuckler,
Ph.D.
On the second day at each site, special breakout sessions are planned.
Participants will include administrators at public health department and
hospitals; teachers and educational administrators; mental health professionals;
nurses; physicians; laboratory personnel; emergency medical service workers;
Extension educators; and law enforcement officers.
The following dates, locations and co-sponsors have been set for the
symposia.
May 12-13: Gering, Gering Civic Center. Co-sponsors: Panhandle Partnership
and Public Health Departments.
May 19-20: Grand Island, College Park. Co-sponsor: Central Nebraska
Area Health Education Center.
June 10-11: Norfolk, Northeast Community College. Co-sponsor: Northern
Nebraska Area Health Education Center.
June 18-19: Lincoln, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, East Campus Student
Union. Co-sponsor: Lincoln Medical Education Foundation.
Continuing education credit will be available for the symposia. Participants
may register for one or both days at $10 per day, which includes lunch.
Each symposium is limited to 200 participants per site.The first
days of each symposium will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the second
day scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.