The National Societies of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) is sponsoring a one and one half day long
course on public health genomics in conjunction with the Annual Education Conference in Nashville, TN on November 9-10, 2006.
According
the NSGC, the purpose of the course is to help genetic counselors to
increase their capacity to be prepared to play an important role as
genomics is increasingly used in public health activities aimed at
health promotion and disease prevention. More specifically, the purpose
of the course is stated to be:
"Innovations in genetics and
genomic research are influencing health risk assessment, treatment
options, and disease prevention strategies. New knowledge based on the
interactions of genetics with environmental and behavioral risk factors
has resulted in expanded opportunities to understand and prevent common
conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. As
genomics further permeates medicine and public health, there is a
growing need for genetic counselors to have expertise in both genomics
and public health to help consumers and practitioners comprehend the
implications of genomics in practice.
The demand for genomics
expertise in public health settings also provides new opportunities for
expanding the practice of genetic counselors beyond individuals and
families to the general population. For example, public health genomics
is moving from the realm of newborn screening, education, and providing
or funding care for vulnerable and underserved communities to dealing
with family history as a population-based genomic tool, and
incorporating genomics into chronic disease services and programs.
Policies such as genetic nondiscrimination legislation and newborn
screening expansion mandates are also affecting the practice of genetic
counseling. Technological advances and elucidating their benefits and
harms is another important part of public health genomics and genetic
counseling.
To be maximally effective, genetic counselors must
begin to strengthen their knowledge of public health principles, policy
and practice. This short course will utilize plenary sessions and panel
discussions to provide examples for using public health principles in
genetic counseling, introduce the relevance of genomics to public
health, discuss policy development, and explore ways in which genetic
counselors can contribute to improving the health of populations. "
The
course agenda is available.
Online registration is available and you need not be a genetic counselor or a member of NSGC to participate.
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