The University of Iowa College of Nursing, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
College of Nursing, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines.
J Genet Couns. 2024 Oct;33(5):934-942. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.1804. Epub 2023 Oct 25.
In this paper, we report on the professional development of genetic counselors in the Philippines as we discuss the status of genetic counseling training and research, along with the roles and scope of practice of genetic counselors. The development of a master's level training program for non-physician genetic counselors in the Philippines initiated in 2011 was in response to the increasing demand for genetic counseling services. There are currently 18 locally trained genetic counselors who are practicing in various fields including newborn screening, pediatrics, cancer, prenatal and preconception, neurology, and research. Despite the success of the genetic counseling training program, various professional challenges hinder maximizing the impact of genetic counselors in the health system. The challenges discussed in this paper include the limited number of genetic counselors, the lack of government positions officially recognizing the 'genetic counselor' title, and the absence of a regulatory framework. These issues require thorough discussion with appropriate government agencies and collaboration with other healthcare professional organizations with the ultimate goal of ensuring quality genetic counseling services nationwide.
本文报告了菲律宾遗传咨询师的专业发展情况，讨论了遗传咨询培训和研究的现状，以及遗传咨询师的角色和实践范围。菲律宾于 2011 年启动了非医师遗传咨询师硕士培训项目，以满足日益增长的遗传咨询服务需求。目前有 18 名在菲律宾接受培训的遗传咨询师在新生儿筛查、儿科、癌症、产前和孕前、神经科和研究等各个领域开展工作。尽管遗传咨询培训项目取得了成功，但各种专业挑战阻碍了遗传咨询师在卫生系统中发挥最大作用。本文讨论的挑战包括遗传咨询师人数有限、政府没有正式承认“遗传咨询师”这一职称，以及缺乏监管框架。这些问题需要与相关政府机构进行深入讨论，并与其他医疗保健专业组织合作，最终目标是确保全国范围内提供优质的遗传咨询服务。
