LOUISVILLE, Ky.-- As the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America approaches, government agencies, medical personnel and the community may wonder if we are any better prepared for a catastrophic event today than we were one year ago.

The University of Louisville School of Medicine is offering a series of presentations and classes to address bioterrorism and biowarfare for a variety of audiences -- including an update on what researchers and physicians have learned over the past year.

"We quickly put together a few programs last fall addressing procedures, dangers, epidemiology and preparedness," explained Dr. Sharon Whitmer, director of continuing health sciences education. "The response from the internal and external communities was so tremendous that we felt it important to provide an update one year later."

The first of the educational opportunities for the general public is the Mini Med School -- a program offered every fall. The series will meet Tuesday evenings from Sept. 10 to Oct. 15 and will cover topics from infection control to diagnostics.

With the exception of the Oct. 1 class, each session will feature a demonstration by a standardized patient -- an actor trained to portray a patient stricken with a bioterror-induced illness. The Oct. 1 class will be held in U of L's world-class patient simulation center, where a computerized patient mannequin will replicate symptoms of infection from anthrax inhalation. (A full schedule of classes and topics is available at http://www.chse.louisville.edu/minimed.html.)

U of L will also be offering noon-hour programs for faculty, staff and Louisville Medical Center caregivers on Tuesdays from Oct. 15 to Nov. 19. The professional-level programs will cover the same topics as the Mini Med School, but the content will be tailored for healthcare personnel.

Additional educational opportunities include a bioterrorism evening seminar on Oct. 22 at Jewish Hospital's Rudd Heart and Lung Center and a Saturday session to be held in Owensboro at Kentucky Wesleyan College for area physicians and first-responders.

"We feel it is an important part of our mission to make sure the community and care providers have the absolute latest information to ensure our preparedness in case of a disaster," Whitmer said. "Good information is our strongest defense."