In response to this need, the Center is playing an important role in providing genetics education across a broad range of disciplines. A number of these opportunities are listed below.

• Brigham and Women's Hospital, Department of Pathology Fellowship in Molecular Genetic Pathology This one-year fellowship provides a structured, educational experience for pathologists to obtain proficiency in Molecular Genetic Pathology, a subspecialty in which the principles, theories, and technologies of molecular biology and molecular genetics are used to make or confirm clinical diagnoses in neoplasia, infectious disease, tissue typing/identity testing, Mendelian genetic disorders and non-Mendelian genetic diseases. Fellows are trained in the development, performance and clinical interpretation of molecular pathology assays and have the opportunity to pursue independent research projects. The fellowship offers significant clinical and laboratory responsibilities in seven active service laboratories which offer a wide range of molecular tests in the diagnosis of neoplasia, infectious disease, genetic disease, inherited predisposition to disease, as well as identity testing and minimal residual disease testing. The fellowship is based in the Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, with rotations through additional laboratories at Massachusetts General Hospital, Children's Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.



• The PCPGM coordinates the Harvard Medical School Genetics Training Program, which offers a Clinical Genetics Residency and a Clinical Laboratory Fellowship that are accredited by the American College of Medical Genetics. Training occurs at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital. Upon completion of their training, participants are eligible for board certification in Clinical Genetics, Biochemical Genetics, Cytogenetics, Molecular Genetics or Ph.D. Medical Genetics. The didactic component of the training program, the Advanced Human Genetics Course, occurs over two semesters and offers an intensive overview of medical, biochemical molecular, quantitative, and cytogenetics.
  
  
• The PCPGM has a long-standing relationship with the Brandeis University Genetic Counseling Program, offering a two-semester clinical genetics course. PCPGM faculty members also act as mentors for student thesis projects and serve as supervisors during clinical rotations.
  
  
• The Center has completed its third year of offering a one-semester genetics course for the Physician Assistant Studies program at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. In addition, PCPGM faculty will begin teaching a twelve-hour block on genetics at the MCPHS Manchester, NH campus.
  
  
• PCPGM faculty have created an on-line course, offered through the MGH Institute of Health Professions, which is open to anyone but taken primarily by students from the Communication Sciences and Disorders program.
  
  
• In conjunction with the MGH Clinical Research Program and the BWH Center for Clinical Investigation, PCPGM faculty teaches an 8-hour workshop for research study coordinators entitled "Genetic Issues in Clinical Research". This workshop is offered twice a year, once at MGH and once at BWH.
  
  
• Recently, Gretchen Schneider, M.S., PCPGM Genetic Counselor and Education Coordinator, was selected to participate in Duke University Medical Center's Genetic Interdisciplinary Faculty Training (GIFT) Program. This program, sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services, brings graduate faculty from nurse practitioner, nurse midwife and physician assistant programs together to learn about advances in genetics and methods to facilitate incorporating genetics as a recurring theme throughout their graduate curricula.
  
  
• The BWH Genetic Medicine Residency and the closely related Genetics Track, both components of the BWH Internal Medicine Residency Program, aim to train carefully selected BWH Internal Medicine house staff in both Internal Medicine and Medical Genetics. The primary goal of these two new Programs is to train physicians and physician-scientists who will become leaders in Genetic Medicine, and who will catalyze the introduction of genetics into patient care.

The abundance of genetic knowledge and advances in technology translate to a continued need for education in genetics with the opportunity for innovative ways of learning. PCPGM is committed to expanding our educational activities to continue to meet the needs of our diverse constituents.