EP440: Developing medical genetics interest and literacy through student interest groups: The why, the how, and the challenges

Abstract

According to the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics, the US has slightly more than 3000 diplomats of all genetics specialties, of which there are about 1700 clinical geneticists. Additionally, the US has less than 5000 active genetic counselors. We need to increase the attention of medical students to the field of genetics since it is becoming more relevant to clinical care, especially with the expansion of personalized medicine. At minimum, all medical students and other healthcare trainees should be encouraged to attain genetic literacy, with the hopes that some of them will join the medical genetics work force. The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) currently has 35 ACMG student interest groups (SIGs) registered. ACMG established the SIG program with the goal of expanding students’ knowledge and interest in the field of medical genetics and providing these groups support and information about careers in medical genetics. We present the combined perspectives of five institutions at varying stages of the development of medical genetics SIGs, at institutions with, or without genetics residency programs, with large and small medical school class sizes. Our objective is to share our varied experiences, including the process of establishing the SIG, student participants involved, activities hosted by the SIG, the impact that SIGs have had on students’ careers, and challenges to implementation. The process to set up a SIG begins by establishing a SIG at a host institution, followed by an ACMG application listing the nature of the group (medical or GC students, etc.), a student contact and faculty advisor. Students targeted by the SIG vary by institution, and can include medical students, medical genetics fellows, laboratory genetics and genomics fellows, genetic counseling students, undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in life sciences, or veterinary medicine, etc. Events within our respective SIGs include activities focused on increasing the visibility of genetics within the medical school, increasing knowledge of the field of medical genetics as a career, and increasing medical genetics content knowledge. Activities focused on increasing genetics visibility include film viewing-discussion groups, debates on ethical issues, discussion on direct-to-consumer genetic testing, genetic trivia game nights, journal clubs, podcast productions, and community lectures. The genetics SIGs have often partnered with other medical student SIGs at their local institutions to illustrate how genetics is pervasive in medicine. Activities focused on medical genetics careers include a “meet a genetics team”, genetics lab virtual tours, and workshops on clinical note writing and interpreting genetic test results. Activities focused on medical genetics knowledge include presentations about genetic conditions, meet the patient sessions, and collaboration on events with other genetics SIGs at other institutions. Within an institution, an active SIG can result in increased recognition of genetics as a standalone specialty with the potential to increase the number of residency applications to genetics programs. Furthermore, the presence of an active medical genetics SIG on campus results in an increased acknowledgement of the role of genetics in the care of patients from all specialties. Anecdotal evidence suggests that student engagement in SIG leadership is recognized as a desirable attribute by program directors during residency interviews. A dynamic genetics SIG depends on an active faculty advisor and a student board to create programming that enables engagement of the students in the SIG and the larger student body to increase genetics awareness. Ideally, in addition to medical students, a genetics SIG will have diverse members such as students from pre-professional (BSc) and genetic counseling (MSc) programs, laboratory genetics fellows, healthcare professionals, and other interested faculty.