Revised Microbiology Core Knowledge Objectives for Modern Undergraduate Medical Education

Authors

• Timothy J. Bauler, Western Michigan University
• Cindy G. Arvidson, Michigan State University
• Samina Akbar, Marian University
• Dennis N. Arvidson, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Margaret E. Bauer, Indiana University School of Medicine
• Dwayne M. Baxa, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
• Rebecca J. Greenblatt, SUNY Upstate Medical University
• Kerstin Honer zu Bentrup, Tulane University
• Yingguang Liu, Liberty University
• Inaia Phoenix, Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Medicine
• Julie A. Kerry, Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion UniversityFollow

ORCID

0009-0002-9471-839X (Kerry)

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2026

DOI

10.1128/jmbe.00042-26

Publication Title

Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education

Volume

Advance online publication

Pages

e0004226

Abstract

Defining the core content for each scientific discipline in a modern preclinical medical education curriculum is critical to ensure optimal student learning and application of foundational knowledge for clinical practice. Attendees of the Association of Medical School Microbiology and Immunology Chairs (AMSMIC) Educational Strategies Workshop recently highlighted the need for updated medical microbiology learning objectives, given the shift in medical education toward less time for preclinical coursework and more integrated learning. Herein, we describe the process of developing a comprehensive, educator-driven set of knowledge objectives for medical microbiology. These objectives emphasize common pathogens, as well as pathogens associated with severe disease, organized by clinical presentation and disease processes. They also recognize newer pathogen identification methods used in clinical laboratories and provide flexibility to address emerging pathogens. Educators can use these objectives to refine curricula and define core content expected to appear on major medical licensure examinations.

Rights

 © 2026 Bauler et al. 

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) License.

Original Publication Citation

Bauler, T. J., Arvidson, C. G., Akbar, S., Arvidson, D. N., Bauer, M. E., Baxa, D. M., Greenblatt, R. J., Honer Zu Bentrup, K., Liu, Y., Phoenix, I., & Kerry, J. A. (2026). Revised microbiology core knowledge objectives for modern undergraduate medical education. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00042-26

Repository Citation

Bauler, T. J., Arvidson, C. G., Akbar, S., Arvidson, D. N., Bauer, M. E., Baxa, D. M., Greenblatt, R. J., Honer Zu Bentrup, K., Liu, Y., Phoenix, I., & Kerry, J. A. (2026). Revised microbiology core knowledge objectives for modern undergraduate medical education. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00042-26