ACMG and ABMGG Collaborate to Provide Trainees and Genetic Counseling Students Complimentary Access to Online Medical Genetics Education Courses during COVID-19 Pandemic

News provided by

American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics

Apr 10, 2020, 12:01 ET

BETHESDA, Md., April 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG) recognize that medical genetics and genomics trainees and genetic counseling students are experiencing unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many are unable to engage in planned educational activities necessary to meet training program requirements.

In an effort to help lighten this burden and to provide top-quality online educational opportunities to those who may be either quarantined or must work from home, the ACMG and the ABMGG are collaborating to provide complimentary access to educational programming for clinical genetics residents, laboratory genetics fellows and genetic counseling students.

ACMG President Anthony R. Gregg, MD, MBA, FACOG, FACMG said, "As the COVID-19 pandemic challenges each of us to adapt, ACMG looks forward to providing high-quality educational materials at no charge to trainees and genetic counseling students. At ACMG we value education. It is a core member service. If you are a trainee whose education is threatened by COVID-19, we will help you beat that threat. This makes perfect sense - if you are a trainee or student - you are us!"

"Optimal patient care begins with optimal education of trainees in medical genetics and genomics in training programs across the country," said Max Muenke, MD, FACMG, chief executive officer of the ACMG. "We at the College have a passion for education. At a time of COVID-19 where most trainees are working from home, we are happy to offer—free of charge—a number of online courses and lectures to genetic counseling graduate students, residents in clinical genetics and genomics, and fellows in all laboratory specialties of genetics and genomics."

Medical genetics and genomics residents and lab fellows, as well as genetic counseling students, will be able to access an extensive, curated collection of educational content online at the ACMG Genetics Academy at www.acmgeducation.net Individuals must attest that they are current trainees in an ACGC-, ACGME- or ABMGG-accredited training program.

Miriam Blitzer, PhD, FACMG, CEO of the ABMGG, commented, "The ABMGG recognizes that current circumstances surrounding COVID-19 are impacting trainees and have disrupted required training. We are excited that ACMG is offering access to excellent educational activities to allow for continued learning during this time."

ACMG's "Curated Collection of Educational Resources for Genetics and Genomics Residents, Trainees and Genetic Counseling Students" will include:

10 Genomic Case Conferences such as Telegenetics Consults and Resources at Your Fingertips, Spectrum of Positive Findings Encountered During Expanded Carrier Screening, and Nuances of Mitochondrial Testing
Six Short Courses, including

Variant Interpretation from the Clinician Perspective
Bringing Personalized Genomic Medicine to Prenatal Care
Authorization for Genetic Testing: A Primer for Genetics Professionals
Somatic Mutation Testing in Cancer: Implications for the Oncologist and Geneticist

11 Scientific Sessions from the 2018 and 2019 ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meetings

March of Dimes Clinical Genetics Conferences
Cardinal Signs of Selected Genetic Conditions
Laboratory Diagnostic Challenges (Constitutional and Neoplastic Cases in Molecular, Cytogenomic, and Biochemical Genetics Specialties)
Prenatal Diagnostic Challenges
Hot Topics: Genome Editing: Genetic Therapy for Genetic Diseases - Promises and Challenges; and Emerging Fetal Stem Cell and Molecular Therapies
Complexities in Cancer Risk Assessment and Management

Individuals who complete coursework through the ACMG Genetics Academy will obtain a certificate of completion. ACMG and ABMGG both commit to providing these free educational resources until September 1, 2020.

Staying current on advances in medical genetics and genomics is more important than ever. ACMG and ABMGG wish the next generation of the medical genetics healthcare team strength, resilience and good health as we work together to fight the pandemic and to care for patients and families. We appreciate your commitment to caring for patients whether you are in the lab, the clinic, providing telegenetics services, or serving your patients and communities in other ways. Our primary concern, now and always, is for the health, safety and well-being of healthcare providers, patients, students and the communities we serve.

About the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and ACMG Foundation

Founded in 1991, the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) is the only nationally recognized medical society dedicated to improving health through the clinical practice of medical genetics and genomics and the only medical specialty society in the US that represents the full spectrum of medical genetics disciplines in a single organization. The ACMG is the largest membership organization specifically for medical geneticists, providing education, resources and a voice for more than 2,400 clinical and laboratory geneticists, genetic counselors and other healthcare professionals, nearly 80% of whom are board certified in the medical genetics specialties. ACMG's mission is to improve health through the clinical and laboratory practice of medical genetics as well as through advocacy, education and clinical research, and to guide the safe and effective integration of genetics and genomics into all of medicine and healthcare, resulting in improved personal and public health. Four overarching strategies guide ACMG's work: 1) to reinforce and expand ACMG's position as the leader and prominent authority in the field of medical genetics and genomics, including clinical research, while educating the medical community on the significant role that genetics and genomics will continue to play in understanding, preventing, treating and curing disease; 2) to secure and expand the professional workforce for medical genetics and genomics; 3) to advocate for the specialty; and 4) to provide best-in-class education to members and nonmembers. Genetics in Medicine, published monthly, is the official ACMG journal. ACMG's website (www.acmg.net) offers resources including policy statements, practice guidelines, educational programs and a 'Find a Genetic Service' tool. The educational and public health programs of the ACMG are dependent upon charitable gifts from corporations, foundations and individuals through the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine.

About the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics

The American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG) is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve the public and medical profession by establishing professional certification standards and promoting lifelong learning, as well as excellence in medical genetics and genomics. Established in 1980, the ABMGG is one of the 24 certifying boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). For more information, visit www.abmgg.org.

Kathy Moran, MBA
[email protected]

SOURCE American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics