The challenges and opportunities of offering and integrating training in clinical molecular genetics and clinical cytogenetics: A survey of LGG Fellowship Program Directors
Recommended Citation
Deignan JL, Aggarwal V, Bale AE, Bellissimo DB, Booker JK, Cao Y, Crooks KR, Deak KL, Del Gaudio D, Funke B, Hoppman NL, Horner V, Hufnagel RB, Jackson-Cook C, Koduru P, Leung ML, Li S, Liu P, Luo M, Mao R, Mason-Suares H, Mikhail FM, Moore SR, Naeem RC, Pollard LM, Repnikova EA, Shao L, Shaw BM, Shetty S, Smolarek TA, Spiteri E, Van Ziffle J, Vance GH, Vnencak-Jones CL, and Williams ES. The challenges and opportunities of offering and integrating training in clinical molecular genetics and clinical cytogenetics: A survey of LGG Fellowship Program Directors. Genet Med Open 2024; 2.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2024
Publication Title
Genet Med Open
Abstract
PURPOSE: The specialty of Laboratory Genetics and Genomics (LGG) was created in 2017 in an effort to reflect the increasing convergence in technologies and approaches between clinical molecular genetics and clinical cytogenetics. However, there has not yet been any formal evaluation of the merging of these disciplines and the challenges faced by Program Directors (PDs) tasked with ensuring the successful training of laboratory geneticists under the new model.
METHODS: An electronic multi-question Qualtrics survey was created and was sent to the PD for each of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited LGG fellowship programs at the time. The data were collected, and the responses were aggregated for each question.
RESULTS: All of the responding PDs had started training at least 1 LGG fellow. PDs noted challenges with funding, staff shortages, molecular/cytogenetics content integration, limited total training time, increased remote work, increased sendout testing, and a lack of prior cytogenetics knowledge among incoming fellows.
CONCLUSION: This survey attempted to assess the challenges that LGG PDs have been facing in offering and integrating clinical molecular genetics and clinical cytogenetics fellowship training. Common challenges between programs were noted, and a set of 6 concluding comments are provided to facilitate future discussion.
PubMed ID
39175871
Volume
2
