Preparing health professionals for individualized medicine.

Genomic medicine holds the prospect of transforming clinical medicine and public health, but the current understanding of genetics and genomics among health professionals is a major impediment to the integration of genomic technologies into mainstream practice. Effective and consistent education is a central component of the translation of research into practical application. The National Coalition for Health Professional Education in Genetics (MD, USA) has more than a decade of experience in the development of educational programs that help to incorporate genomic medicine into education and practice.