Schwaninger Gunda, Taxer Kathrin, Marti Sabrina, Cionca Simona, Freilinger Petra, Gemperle Corinne, Kalantidou Anna, Stöhr Heidi, Ramcke Sina, Wölwer Christina, Rudnik-Schöneborn Sabine, Zschocke Johannes
Institute of Human Genetics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Team Medical Genetics, Kantons-Hospital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland.
Genet Med Open. 2024 May 29;2(Suppl 2):101855. doi: 10.1016/j.gimo.2024.101855. eCollection 2024.
In spring 2022, the inaugural cohort of Genetic and Genomic Counseling MSc students graduated from the Medical University of Innsbruck, representing a significant milestone for the establishment of the genetic counselor (GC) profession in the German-speaking countries. A pivotal component of their education was a 15-week clinical training period. The placement experiences of both students and supervisors offered valuable insights into the attitudes of medical geneticists toward the profession. To share the knowledge gained by these pioneers and offer guidance to potential placement institutions, the MSc program team organized an online workshop on the education and training of GCs in German-speaking countries in October 2022. The first part of the workshop focused on the training program and professional profile of GCs in the German-speaking countries. It covered educational aspects, such as the structure of the MSc degree program and specific communication training. Additionally, it addressed challenges arising from the integration of GCs into existing genetics centers. The second part of the workshop delved into first-hand experiences of genetic counseling students and placement providers during clinical training. Featuring insights from supervisors, this session facilitated a discussion about the roles of GCs within interprofessional genetics teams. The workshop participants agreed on a growing demand for GCs and highlighted positive experiences, as well as challenges within participating institutes that had hosted a student. In this article we summarize suggestions for the education and training of GCs in the German-speaking countries where the profession is newly established.
2022年春季，因斯布鲁克医科大学首届遗传与基因组咨询理学硕士班的学生毕业，这是德语国家遗传咨询师（GC）职业确立的一个重要里程碑。他们教育的一个关键组成部分是为期15周的临床培训期。学生和导师的实习经历为了解医学遗传学家对该职业的态度提供了宝贵的见解。为了分享这些先驱者所获得的知识，并为潜在的实习机构提供指导，理学硕士项目团队于2022年10月组织了一次关于德语国家遗传咨询师教育与培训的在线研讨会。研讨会的第一部分聚焦于德语国家遗传咨询师的培训项目和职业概况。它涵盖了教育方面，如理学硕士学位项目的结构和特定的沟通培训。此外，它还讨论了将遗传咨询师融入现有遗传中心所产生的挑战。研讨会的第二部分深入探讨了遗传咨询专业学生和实习机构在临床培训期间的第一手经验。在主管的见解支持下，本次会议促进了关于遗传咨询师在跨专业遗传团队中的角色的讨论。研讨会参与者一致认为对遗传咨询师的需求在不断增长，并强调了积极的经验以及接待过学生的参与机构内部的挑战。在本文中，我们总结了在德语国家这个新兴职业中对遗传咨询师教育与培训的建议。
