Bioterrorism topic of first new nationally broadcast public health grand rounds session
CHAPEL HILL -- Efforts by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health to promote discussion among health leaders on pressing public health issues will expand June 11 with the debut of the Public Health Grand Rounds series.
Professionals from local and state health departments, hospitals, clinics, emergency management services, and managed care organizations will participate through live interactive satellite broadcasts to be beamed across North Carolina and the nation. Faculty at the UNC-CH School of Public Health and representatives from the public health research and practice communities will lead the dialogue.
"Public Health Grand Rounds is a major new national initiative to strengthen the public health infrastructure," said Dr. William L. Roper, dean. "This has long been a priority for the CDC, and for the School of Public Health. Working together, our joint resources are being leveraged to accomplish the practical enhancement of capabilities for advancing the public's health."
The Grand Rounds series is sponsored by the School of Public Health, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Association of Schools of Public Health, and the Public Health Training Network.
The series debuts on June 11 at 2 p.m. with "Bioterrorism: Implications for Public Health," a 60-minute program to be led by Roper; Dr. Jeffrey P. Koplan, director of the CDC; Dr. Scott Lillibridge, director of the CDC?s Office of Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response; and Dr. Hugh Tilson, clinical professor of epidemiology and health policy and administration in the UNC-CH School of Public Health.
This session will feature presentations and discussion on bioterrorism and its implications for public health practitioners, organizations and systems. Using actual examples of domestic biological threats and hypothetical scenarios, the faculty will explore the potential impact of bioterrorism acts on public health agencies, and the implications for the public health infrastructure.
"The Public Health Grand Rounds provide an opportunity for close interaction on very important health topics between the key components of the public health system; state and local health departments, schools of public health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," Koplan said. "The CDC is pleased to partner with the UNC School of Public Health in providing this practical and timely vehicle for improving our national public health system."
Registration for the program is available online at www.PublicHealthGrandRounds.unc.edu. There is no registration fee, but all participants must preregister to assure adequate seating at satellite sites. In North Carolina, access will be available at sites in Asheville, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Durham, Elizabeth City, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Greenville, Newton, Raleigh, Rocky Mount, Roxboro, Sylva, Wilkesboro, Williamston, Wilmington and Winston-Salem. Forty-six states --including Alaska and Hawaii -- plus Ontario, Canada and the District of Columbia each have at least one site available, with more than 300 sites so far registered to carry the program live. For a complete list of sites, visit the program World Wide Web site or contact your state distance learning coordinator.
Continuing education credit will be offered for various professions based on 60 minutes of instruction. Program materials are available on the Web site.
The second program of the series, "Breast Cancer: How Can We Stop It?," is scheduled for Sept.
29. For more information about the Grand Rounds series, visit www.PublicHealthGrandRounds.unc.edu
direct an e-mail message to Grand.Rounds@sph.unc.edu or phone 919-966-4032.
School of Public Health
media contact:
Lisa Katz
919-966-8498
lisa_katz@unc.edu
CDC media contact:
Barbara Reynolds
404-639-7290
bsr0@cdc.gov
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