Competencies & Principles
Core Competencies for All Health Care Professionals (2007)
This document provides basic guidance to a broad range of individuals and groups as they plan educational initiatives in genetics and genetically based health care.
Target Audience: All health care professionals
Core Principles in Genetics (2004)
This document provides guidance about the content that should constitute basic instruction in genetics for those in health care. The principles focus on basic biology related to genetics. They are available in English and Spanish
Target Audience: All health care professionals
Principles of Genetics in the Context of Common Disease (2006)
NCHPEG developed a set of principles that are intended to guide educational efforts that address the expansion of genetics into the realm of common complex diseases. The principles were adapted from: “A Framework for Genetics and Complex Disease,” with permission of the Foundation for Genetic Education and Counseling
Target Audience: Educators
Principles in Family History (2008)
This document lays out health care professional competencies for taking and interpreting a family history. There is a complementary slide set on family history for teaching purposes available.
Target Audience: All health care professionals
Targeted Education Programs & Discipline-Specific Programs
The goal of each Web-based program is to increase genetics literacy among faculty and practitioners within a specific health-professional audience. The content is case driven and uses interactive exercises to reinforce key genetics concepts within the clinical context of the targeted discipline.
Genetics for Social and Behavioral Science Researchers (2010)
NCHPEG Is creating a web-based educational program that will provide sufficient genetics background to allow social and behavioral scientists to engage effectively in interdisciplinary research with genetics researchers. The overarching goal of this project is to create an educational program that will improve social scientists’ genetics literacy in the following areas: conversation, imagination, evaluation, and integration.
Target Audience: Social and Behavioral Scientists
Nutrition and Genetics: Key concepts and clinical scenarios for Dietetic educators and practitioners in the US & UK (2008)
This web-based program focuses on genetic concepts as it relates to the practice of dietitians and nutritionists. Along with the basic genetics content on family history, genetic testing, and other topics, this program discusses evaluating genetics studies, including assessing the clinical utility and validity of genetic changes related to common disease. The interactive case studies discuss MTHFR, MCAD, cystic fibrosis, and celiac disease. CEUs will be available through the American Dietician Association (ADA). NCHPEG developed this targeted education program in conjunction with ADA, the British Dietetics Association, and the National Genetics and Development Centre (Birmingham, U.K.). This work was supported by the National Human Genome Research Institute, Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Office of Rare Disease, National Institutes of Health.
Target Audience: Dietitians and Nutritionists
Genetics in the Physician Assistant’s Practice (2007)
This web-based program focuses on genetics in the physican assistant’s practice. It contains information about basic genetics concepts relevant to clinical practice (e.g., taking a family history and genetic testing), teaching tools, resources, and interactive case studies. The case studies discuss fragile X syndrome, factor V Leiden, and familal hypercholesterolemia. CMEs are available through the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). NCHPEG developed this targeted education program in conjunction with AAPA. This work was supported by the National Human Genome Research Institute, Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Office of Rare Disease, National Institutes of Health.
Target Audience: Physician Assistants
Genetics in the Practice of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (2006)
This web-based program focuses on genetic contributions to speech, language, and hearing. It contains information about basic genetics concepts relevant to clinical practice (e.g., taking a family history and genetic testing), teaching tools, resources, and interactive case studies. The case studies discuss connexin 26, Stickler syndrome, and DiGeorge syndrome. CEUs are available through the American Academy of Audiology and American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). NCHPEG developed this targeted education program in conjunction with ASHA, National Society of Genetic Counselors, and the University of Cincinnati. This work was supported by the National Human Genome Research Institute, Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Office of Rare Disease, National Institutes of Health.
Target Audience: Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
Genetics and Common Disorders: Implications for Primary Care and Public Health Providers (2005)
This program focuses on the genetics of common disease and on the broad principles that emerge when viewing disease from the perspectives of variation and individuality - which are at the heart of thinking genetically. The content includes discussion of principles of genetics in common disorders, incorporating family history into practice, ethical, legal, and social implications, and applying genomics to prevention and management. It also includes two interactive case studies: thrombophilia and colorectal cancer. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Target Audience: Primary Care Providers and Public Health Professionals
Genetics, Disease, and Dentistry (2004)
This web-based program focuses on genetics in the dental practice. It contains information about basic genetics concepts relevant to clinical practice (e.g., definition of genes and mutation and taking a family history), resources, and case studies. The case studies discuss Gorlin syndrome (nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome), diabetes, and osteogenesis imperfecta. NCHPEG developed this targeted education program in conjunction with American Dental Hygienists Association and National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
Target Audience: Dentists and Dental Hygienists
Genetics Is Relevant Now: Nurses' views and patients' stories
NCHPEG and the Department of Nursing at the University of Cincinnati developed this Web-based educational program that illustrates current genetics applications in nursing practice. Specifically, the content addresses the relevance of genetics in infectious disease, oncology nursing, and common disease. It includes audio clips from genetics nursing experts and from patients.
Target Audience: Nurses
Genetics and Major Psychiatric Disorders: A Program for Genetic Counselors (2002)
This program is intended to provide an introduction to psychiatric genetics, with a focus on the genetics of common complex disease, for genetics professionals. The content includes discussion of complex disease, overview of psychiatry, research in psychiatric genetics, unipolar depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and issues in psychiatric genetic counseling. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Target Audience: Genetics Professionals
Educational Aids
The following resources are relevant for educators who are developing lectures or teaching genetics content to students and health professionals.
GENERAL GENETICS
This section links to some of the basic genetics content that is part of all of our programs, including information about genetic testing.
GENETIC INFORMATION NONDISCRIMINATION ACT (GINA)
This program is a discussion guide for clinicians. It includes background documents, a guide suggesting how and when to talk about GINA with patients, a teaching slide set, and case studies that describe how the law works in a variety of real-world, clinical settings.
EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ASSESSMENT
This program provides a guide to help individuals think critically about the quality of educational materials. This project, supported by CDC with the Genetic Alliance as the lead agency, strives to provide tools to help families and non-geneticist health providers develop and assess educational materials for Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy and fragile X syndrome.
FAMILY HISTORY
Almost all of NCHPEG's programs emphasize the importance of family history collection and application to patient care. This section links to the many different family history educational resources within the NCHPEG network.
RACE & GENETICS FAQ
The FAQ was developed as a complement to a 90 minute CME session on Race & Genetics. In additional to learning from the FAQ, you can request a copy of the DVD recording. The FAQ contains information on genetic variation between populations, genetic variation in disease, biology and race, and population research involving different racial and ethnic groups. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provided the funding for this program.
Psychiatric Genetics
These resources provide an introduction to psychiatric genetics, with a focus on the genetics of common complex disease. The content includes discussion of complex disease, overview of psychiatry, research in psychiatric genetics, unipolar depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and issues in psychiatric genetic counseling.
Point of Care Tools
Point of Care Tools are for immediate use in the clinical setting. NCHPEG is committed to creating additional Point of Care Tools to improve access to and effectiveness of genetics education for the busy clinician. We have a number of projects currently in development, such as GeneFacts. Have ideas for new Point of Care Tools? Contact us and let us know!
Family History Collection & Assessment
Click here for quick resources on family history collect and risk assessment, including guidelines on genetic red flags and risk stratification.
Psychiatric Disease Resources
This section has quick links for general information about psychiatric disease and genetics, recurrence risks in a family, and a script for asking questions about mental illness. There resources are part of the larger Genetics and Major Psychiatric Disorders program.
Risk Communication
Risk communication is a complex process that is essential for effective risk assessment. This fact sheet is a quick reference on risk communication tips, with links for more detailed information on risk communication.
Newsletters
NCHPEG produces newsletters periodically throughout the year. Initially, these newsletters focused on topics in family history. Currently, each newsletter considers a single topic from different perspectives. Recent newsletter topics have included