Rotations for Medical Genetics and Genomic Medicine Residency and Fellowship Training Programs

The purpose of this requirement is to maintain formal training program sites for the instruction of fellows as part of the requirements for board certification in Laboratory Genetics and Genomics. Division of Intramural Research (DIR) was established to serve as a hub where development of technology for the rapid isolation and analysis of disease genes will be carried out. The DIR’s basic research laboratories and clinical branches develop and use the most advanced techniques to conduct research in medical genetics. Research includes identifying and understanding the molecular basis of human genetic disease and planning and carrying out clinical trials to test methods for the treatment.

The mission of the DIR includes the training of physicians and doctoral degree fellows in medical genetics through the Medical Genetics and Genomic Medicine Training Programs. These programs are administered by the Office of the Clinical Director (OCD) and is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

Requirements for board certification of competency of our trainees include broad exposure to and experience with pediatric and adult genetic disorders, including metabolic and mitochondrial disorders, complex traits, skeletal dysplasia’s, clefting, phacomatoses, and chromosomal disorders. The training must include information on the diagnosis and management of these disorders, including the opportunity to rotate in CLIA approved diagnostic genetic laboratories run by American Board of Medical Genetics (ABMG) certified staff. Another component must be the follow up of abnormal newborn screening results. Residents spend two of the 5 years training in Pediatrics at Children’s National Hospital, a world-renowned institution in metropolitan Washington, D.C. The pediatrics training is based in a diverse, urban setting and includes training experiences in the surrounding capital region. The curriculum includes rotations in subspecialty    pediatrics, PICU, NICU, emergency medicine, well baby nursery, as well as inpatient and outpatient general pediatrics. Graduates are eligible to sit for the ABP board examination and well equipped to work in primary care and pediatric subspecialties.

To meet these requirements the Medical Genetics Branch and OCD seek nearby institutions to provide these components of training for board certification in Clinical Genetics, Clinical Biochemical Genetics, Medical Biochemical Genetics, Clinical Molecular Genetics and Clinical Cytogenetics. The staff, which must include both ACGME board certified geneticist(s) and a genetic counselor, will be required to train fellows in the approach, diagnosis, and management of various genetic disorders. In addition, trainees need to have training in applicable laboratory techniques and the clinical interpretation and implications of the test results. The staff must also participate in the comprehensive teaching of residents, including participation in lecture series, journal clubs, and case conferences. A genetic counselor will assist in the training of fellows in the interpretation and genetic implication of tests they are learning to perform in these diagnostic laboratories.  Residents spend two of the 5 years training in Pediatrics at Children’s National Hospital, a world-renowned institution in metropolitan Washington, D.C. The pediatrics training is based in a diverse, urban setting and includes training experiences in the surrounding capital region. The curriculum includes rotations in subspecialty pediatrics, PICU, NICU, emergency medicine, well baby nursery, as well as inpatient and outpatient general pediatrics. Residents also spend 2 years completing requirements of a Medical Genetics residency at NHGRI/NIH which includes 18 months of clinical/laboratory rotations and 6 months of genetics-focused research. Clinical genetics rotations expose residents to inpatient and outpatient general genetics (adult and pediatric), cancer genetics, prenatal genetics, metabolism, and specialty genetics, and laboratory genetics rotations focus on molecular genetics, cytogenetics, and biochemical genetics. Rotations occur within NIH as well as at numerous institutions across the DMV region and offer exposure to common genetic conditions as well as unique rare diagnoses seen at NIH. The fifth and final year of training can either be used for research or subspecialty genetics training. Graduates are eligible to sit for board examinations by both ABP and ABMGG.

The goal of the program is to:

1. Provide a training facility that will conduct two-week virtual rotations in pharmacogenomic testing and interpretation and in cancer cytogenetics for our Ph.D. Medical Genetics trainees seeking certification in Laboratory Genetics and Genomics,

To provide a genetic counselor to assist in the training of the fellows in the genetic counseling implications of the diagnoses that have been made.

To participate in the comprehensive training of all trainees in genetics as part of the Medical Genetics and Genomic Medicine Residency and Fellowship Training Programs.