Careers & Training

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Health Professional Education

Curricula, books, reports and online courses on genomics and genetics for health professionals.

For All Health Professionals

  • The Genomics in Medicine Lecture Series
    The Genomics in Medicine Lecture Series was sponsored by NHGRI, in collaboration with Suburban Hospital and Johns Hopkins. Lectures covered everything from breast cancer diagnosis and treatment to therapeutics for genetic conditions to the genomics of cardiovascular disease. The seven lectures were all recorded and can be found on GenomeTV, NHGRI's YouTube channel, at www.youtube.com/user/GenomeTV.

  • Genomics in Physician Assistant Practice
    An article series on genomics from the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants that demonstrates how genetics is becoming the fundamental science for all health care providers and how it has, and soon will, influence clinical practice for Physician Assistants (PA).

  • Genomics Education for Health Care Professionals in the 21st Century
    In a recent Journal of the American Medical Association article, Genomics Education for Health Care Professionals in the 21st Century, W. Gregory Feero, M.D., Ph.D. and Eric D. Green, M.D., Ph.D., focus on how recent genomic discoveries have brought about far-reaching advances in understanding the molecular basis of human health and disease. NHGRI's vision for the future of genomics research suggests more discoveries are likely to occur over the next few decades.

  • Genetics Education and Training: Report of the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health, and SocietyPDF file
    The Secretary's Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health, and Society (SACGHS) has consistently recognized the importance of professional and public genetics education and training to assure that genomic research findings benefit the public's health. The purpose of this report is to identify the education and training needs of point-of-care health care professionals, public health providers, and consumers and patients and to provide recommendations that address these needs.

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For Nurses

  • Genetic/Genomic Articles for Nursing Educators
    To support genetic and genomic training in healthcare professional education programs, Jean Jenkins, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), and Kathleen Calzone, Ph.D., R.N., A.P.N.G., F.A.A.N., National Cancer Institute (NCI), have coordinated a series of articles that highlight the importance of genetics and genomics for nurse educators and nursing education worldwide. Genetics/Genomics and Nursing Education, appears free in the 2011 Journal of Nursing Scholarship.

  • Seminars in Oncology Nursing [seminarsoncologynursing.com]
    Scientific developments have extended our knowledge of how single, highly penetrant genes contribute significantly to cancer risk and to learning how modifier genes and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influence an individual patient's overall risk, tumor development, prognosis, drug metabolism and response to treatment. This issue of Seminars in Oncology Nursing offers a current update of the influence of genomics on cancer care — The Genetics and Genomics of Cancer — and provides insight into what can be expected in the immediate future. Included is an article by NHGRI Senior Clinical Advisor Jean Jenkins, Ph.D., R.N. on Essential Genetic and Genomic Nursing Competencies for the Oncology Nurse. These competencies have been established for all nurses to facilitate the integration of genomic discoveries into clinical care.

  • A Faculty Champion Initiative
    View the Webinar about the creation of A Faculty Champion Initiative, launched Sept. 25, 2009 to support faculty from schools of nursing undergoing accreditation in 2010/2011 to be able to meet these new requirements.

  • Genetics and Genomics in Oncology Nursing Practice
    Kathleen Calzone, Agnes Masny, and Jean Jenkins have partnered as editors once again in their latest publication; Genetics and Genomics in Oncology Nursing Practice. The oncology-centered scope of genetic/genomic nursing begins with a didactic framework to educate health care professionals on how to gather and comprehend a basic genetic risk assessment. An understanding of cancer biology and the clinical applications of genetic study make this a must-have for any health care professional regardless of specialty area. Burgeoning themes in today's health care system, such as pharmacogenomics, target therapies, multicultural observations, and nurse credentialing in cancer genetics frame the second half of this book. Lastly the authors conclude with ethical, legal, and social implications of genetic/genomic testing, direct-to-consumer marketing, and genetic education. Available from the Oncology Nursing Society. NHGRI does not endorse, encourage or require purchasing this product.

  • Genetics/Genomics Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice
    Broadly describes genetics and genomics nursing practice, then delineates the scope of genetics clinical nursing practice in the United States.
    • International Society for Nurses in Genetics (ISONG). Genetics/Genomics Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice. Silver Spring, Md: American Nurses Association and ISONG. 200 pages. 2007.

  • Genetic Nursing Portfolios: A Model for Credentialing
    Shows how a genetics nursing portfolio is assembled and which criteria are used in its evaluating to verify competency.
    • Rita Black Monsen, ed. 2005. Genetics Nursing Portfolios: A New Model for Credentialing. Silver Spring, MD: American Nurses Association and International Society for Nurses in Genetics. 95 pages. November 2006.

  • Genetic and Genomic Nursing: Competencies, Curricula Guidelines and Outcome Indicators, 2nd Edition
    Establishes the minimum basis with which to prepare the nursing workforce to deliver competent genetic and genomic focused nursing care. First edition — Competencies and Curricula Guidelines established by Consensus Panel, September 21-22, 2005 and published by the American Nurses Association, Silver Spring, Maryland 2006. Second edition — Outcome Indicators established by Consensus, June 2008.
    Watch this site for specific plans to move this project forward.

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For Doctors

  • Articles on Genetics and Genomics for Clinicians
    Dr. Greg Feero, Special Advisor to the Director for Genomic Healthcare and former chief of the Genomics Healthcare Branch, both at the National Human Genome Research Institute, has authored a set of short, clinically relevant articles on genetics and genomics that are now available here for health care professionals.

  • 2005 Genomics: American Academy of Family Physicians Annual Clinical Focus [aafp.org]
    merican Academy of Family Physicians educational initiative help physians use genomic information to meet the needs of patients.

  • Genetics in Clinical Practice: A Team Approach [iml.dartmouth.edu]
    Offered by Dartmouth University's Interactive Media Laboratory, this downloadable course based on the "Virtual Practicum" model is intended for health care providers where knowledge of clinical genetics can positively affect outcomes. Note: This course is offered free by download with a high-speed internet connection. NHGRI does not endorse, encourage or require purchasing this product.

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Additional Resources

  • Population-based Carrier Screening for Single Gene Disorders: Lessons Learned and New Opportunities
    Summary of the February 6-7, 2008 meeting covering topics on experiences of large-scale carrier screening programs for cystic fibrosis (CF), sickle cell disease, and Tay-Sachs disease (TSD), the impact of emerging technologies on the ability to screen for disorders such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and fragile-X syndrome (FXS); the ethical, legal, and social challenges raised by carrier screening, and public health perspectives on screening for genetic disorders in the setting of expanding technical capabilities.

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Last Updated: May 10, 2012