Training in Clinical Genetics

The Division of Medical Genetics offers several types of training in medical and human genetics: residency in clinical medical genetics; fellowship training in clinical molecular genetics, clinical cytogenetics, and clinical biochemical genetics; and postdoctoral positions in human and medical genetics. Applications can be downloaded at the following website: http://depts.washington.edu/medgen/training/application.html. There are additional graduate programs in related departments with concentrations in human and medical genetics.

For further information contact:
Peter H. Byers, M.D.

Department of Pathology
Box 357470
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-7470
Tel: 206-543-4206
pbyers@u.washington.edu

Resources for Current Residents

Residency in Clinical Medical Genetics
Fellowship in Clinical Molecular Genetics
Fellowship in Clinical Cytogenetics
Fellowship in Clinical Biochemical Genetics
Postdoctoral Training in Human and Medical Genetics
Additional Opportunities

Residency in Clinical Medical Genetics

This program, accredited by the Residency Review Committee of the ACGME, is open to individuals holding a U.S. or Canadian M.D. or D.O. degree and who have completed two years of residency in an ACGME-accredited program. In some instances, an M.D. from abroad and board certification in a specialty may be substituted if approved by the American Board of Medical Genetics prior to enrolling in the Residency. The residency is a 2-year program designed to provide a high level of clinical competence in all areas of medical genetics, which will permit graduates to sit for the board examination in clinical genetics administered by the ABMG (http://www.abmg.org/), and to train the next generation of academic medical geneticists. Most successful applicants stay in the program for 3-4 years to attain competency in an area of research that will allow them to compete for research funding and for academic positions in the U.S. The first phase of training is supported by a stipend from the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC) and the Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center (CHRMC) at the level of an R3 stipend. The subsequent training is funded by a training grant in the division or by support from individual mentors’ training grants. The clinical training phase includes rotations through pediatric genetics, adult genetics, cancer genetics, biochemical genetics, and prenatal genetics (an inpatient consultation service at CHRMC) clinics, as well as laboratory-based rotations in clinical cytogenetics and clinical molecular genetics. The clinical training is divided among rotations at UWMC and CHRMC, the campuses of which are about 1.5 miles apart and served by a shuttle bus service. The research and laboratory training occurs in the laboratories of individual mentors which are located primarily at UWMC, with some located at CHRMC and others at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), which is about 2.5 miles away and also served by shuttle bus. More than 30 faculty members in several departments in the School of Medicine and other programs in the University of Washington participate in this program.

Fellowship in Clinical Molecular Genetics

The fellowship is open to individuals with an M.D., D.O., Ph.D., or equivalent degree. For individuals who have not completed a 2-year training fellowship or residency in medical genetics, this is a 2-year program. For individuals with an M.D. who have completed the clinical medical genetics residency, the training in this fellowship can be completed in a single year. The objective of this program is to provide the candidate with the ability to supervise and direct the operations of a clinical molecular genetics diagnostic laboratory, including technical experience and knowledge in quality control and quality assurance procedures; a broad knowledge of (1) basic molecular biology and genetics, (2) the application of recombinant DNA techniques and linkage analysis to the diagnosis of genetic diseases, and (3) the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and management of human genetic disorders; the ability to perform a variety of molecular diagnostic assays; an understanding of the heterogeneity, variability, and natural history of molecular genetic disorders; and diagnostic and interpretive skills in a wide range of clinical molecular genetics problems. The training occurs in diagnostics laboratories in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and the Department of Pathology at UWMC and at CHRMC. Support for fellows in this program comes from individual training grants to the fellows or from post-doctoral training funds in mentors’ laboratories. Successful completion of the training is designed to provide fellows the ability to sit for the board examinations administered by the American Board of Medical Genetics (http://www.abmg.org/).

Fellowship in Clinical Cytogenetics

The fellowship is open to individuals with an M.D., D.O., Ph.D., or equivalent degree. For individuals who have not completed a 2-year training fellowship or residency in medical menetics, this is a 2-year program. For individuals with an M.D. who have completed the clinical medical genetics residency, the training in this fellowship can be completed in a single year. This fellowship is designed to provide the trainee with the ability to supervise and direct the operations of a clinical cytogenetic diagnostic laboratory, including technical expertise and knowledge in quality control and quality assurance procedures; broad knowledge in human cytogenetics, including prenatal and postnatal cytogenetic diagnosis, infertility and pregnancy loss, cancer, and leukemia; an understanding of the heterogeneity, variability, and natural history of cytogenetic disorders; diagnostic and interpretive skills in a wide range of cytogenetic problems; and the ability to communicate cytogenetic laboratory results, in the capacity of consultant to medical genetics professionals, to other clinicians and directly to patients in concert with other professional staff. The training occurs in diagnostics laboratories in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and the Department of Pathology at UWMC and at CHRMC. Support for fellows in this program comes from individual training grants to the fellows or from post-doctoral training funds in mentors’ laboratories. Successful completion of the training is designed to provide fellows the ability to sit for the board examinations administered by the American Board of Medical Genetics (http://www.abmg.org/).

Fellowship in Clinical Biochemical Genetics

The fellowship is open to individuals with an M.D., D.O., Ph.D., or equivalent degree. For individuals who have not completed a 2-year training fellowship or residency in medical genetics, this is a 2-year program. For individuals with an M.D. who have completed the clinical medical genetics residency, the training in this fellowship can be completed in a single year. This fellowship is designed to provide the trainee with the ability to supervise and direct the operations of a clinical biochemical genetics diagnostic laboratory, including technical expertise and knowledge in quality control and quality assurance procedures; broad knowledge of (1) basic biochemistry and genetics, (2) the application of biochemical techniques to the diagnosis and management of genetic diseases, and (3) the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and management of human inherited biochemical disorders; an understanding of the heterogeneity, variability, and natural history of biochemical genetic disorders; diagnostic and interpretive skills in a wide range of biochemical genetic problems; and the ability to communicate biochemical laboratory results, in the capacity of a consultant to medical genetics professionals, to other clinicians and directly to patients in concert with other professional staff. The training occurs in diagnostics at CHRMC. Support for fellows in this program comes from individual training grants to the fellows or from postdoctoral training funds in mentors’ laboratories. Successful completion of the training is designed to provide fellows the ability to sit for the board examinations administered by the American Board of Medical Genetics (http://www.abmg.org/).

Postdoctoral Training in Human and Medical Genetics

Postdoctoral training faculty come from the Division of Medical Genetics in the Department of Medicine, the Division of Genetics in the Department of Pediatrics, and the Department of Genome Sciences. Most positions are supported by funds from the individual laboratories, and applicants should contact faculty directly (http://depts.washington.edu/medgen/faculty/index.html), (http://www.peds.washington.edu/divisions/genetic/genetic.asp).

Under-Represented Minority Recruitment

The University of Washington Medical Genetics Training Program has a strong historical commitment to recruitment of under-represented minorities. We encourage applicants from all minority physicians and scientists and will assign them the highest priority for review.

Additional Opportunities

Additional programs in medical and human genetics at the University of Washington include the following. Details can be found at related websites.

Ph.D. in Public Health Genetics in the School of Public Health. http://depts.washington.edu/phgen/degreeprograms/DegreeProgs_OV.shtml

Ph.D. in Genome Sciences. http://www.gs.washington.edu/academics/gradprogram/index.htm

Ph.D. in Pathology. http://www.pathology.washington.edu/academics/grad/

Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology. This is a free-standing degree-granting program that has faculty from many departments in the School of Medicine, some of whom have interests in human and medical genetics. http://depts.washington.edu/mcb/