Course dir:
Dr. Weaver

Other Faculty:
Medical & Molecular Genetics Staff

Description:

Medical genetics is currently the most rapidly changing area in medicine making it imperative that clinicians are up to date in diagnostic and treatment modalities.  By taking this rotation, students will learn the latest developments and concepts regarding inborn errors of metabolism, dysmorphic syndromes and other inherited disorders.  To accomplish this, students will be involved in the evaluation, diagnosis, counseling and management of pediatric and adult patients.  They will participate in Medical Genetics, Metabolism (Biochemical Genetics), Bone Dysplasia, Neurogenetics, Familial Cancer and Huntington Disease Clinics and attended daily metabolic ward rounds, weekly pre- and post-clinic conferences and weekly medical genetic ward rounds.  The student will also learn to access various web-based and subscription databases, and will become facile with finding and conveying information on metabolic and genetic conditions to patients and their families. Students can also electively rotate through the metabolic, molecular genetic and cytogenetic laboratories and prenatal diagnostic clinics.

Objectives:

The student will become familiar with:

• Common genetic and inherited metabolic conditions including the clinical features, basic pathophysiology, differential diagnosis and psychosocial issues of these conditions.
• The work-up and management of patients with genetic and inherited metabolic disorders.
• Laboratory and molecular testing used with inherited metabolic and genetic disorders.
• Finding and conveying information about genetic and inherited metabolic diseases to patients and their families.

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Max Students/Unit:
2

Competency offered:
III. Using science to guide diagnosis, management, therapeutics, and prevention

Course dir:
Dr. Weaver 

Other Faculty:
Departmental Faculty

Description:

Must obtain permission of instructor prior to enrollment as this elective does not participate in the initial senior match.

Students will participate in departmental research activities and may pursue specific problems in the areas of cytogenetics, prenatal diagnosis, mental retardation, biochemical genetics, molecular genetics, population genetics or clinical genetics.

This elective is offered for the student who wants to gain experience in doing basic or clinical research.  The student may have not previous experience or wishes to complete a previous started project.  A project may be done with any Department of Medical and Molecular Genetic faculty member.

Goals:

• Develop and carry out a research project related to genetics.
• Complete a previous started research project.
• Gain an understanding how to design a research project.
• Learn specific research techniques.
• If appropriate write an abstract or manuscript for presentation and/or publication.

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Competency offered:
III. Using science to guide diagnosis, management, therapeutics, and prevention

Description:

The student should refer to the section of the preface entitled "Special Electives" for information concerning the availability of elective opportunities especially designed to meet his/her needs and interests. The "Special Electives" section will also identify the procedures for arranging and scheduling special elective courses.

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Course dir:
Dr. P.  Bader

Description:

NOTE: THIS COURSE REQUIRES 2 MONTHS NOTICE BEFORE START DATE TO DROP OR ADD.

The student will gain experience in the practice of medical genetics in the community. This includes medical evaluation - including family history and physical examination of individuals with genetic disease or their family members. This will include exposure to prenatal counseling, diagnostic procedures in prenatal detection of genetic abnormalities, and laboratory analysis of chromosomes. The student will learn the complex medical, psychologic, and sociologic problems involved in genetic counseling. There will be exposure to recent developments in laboratory analysis of chromosomes.

Goals:

• Learn how to perform the evaluation of the Clinical Geneticist for common genetic disease diagnosis.
• Learn principles of management and follow-up of patients with known genetic diagnoses.
• Learn how to take an accurate family history.

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Competency offered:
None