IAMSE 2003 Annual Meeting - Drs. Charles Wiener and David Schowalter

WORKSHOP SESSION TITLE:	Basic Science - Clinical Science Discipline-Based Discussions Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Genetics

SESSION LEADER(S):	Dr. Charles Wiener, Johns Hopkins University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA Dr. David Schowalter, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA

OTHER PRESENTERS:

SLIDES SLIDES-1

What issues were raised in this session?

1. Incorporation of Genetics in undergraduate medical education
2. Human genetics courses vs. inclusion in various components of education
3. Broad definition of genetics/genomics
4. Education of multiple learners via multidisciplinary methods
5. Medical education through a genetic lens

Which of these were the main focuses of discussion or activity?
The main issue raised during the session was the incorporation of genetics into undergraduate medical education. Since the audience was comprised of many genetics educators this is an issue close to their hearts. We discussed that the definition of genetics has broadened vastly since the completion of the Human Genome Project. We also discussed that with this increased understanding of the genetic code, many traditional distinctions between normal vs. abnormal become blurred.
It was also mentioned that the relative lack of genomic/genetic questions on national examinations may contribute to the disorganized way this subject is handled in some medical school curriculum.

Some schools still have distinct courses on Medical Genetics. However, basic genetics has often been incorporated into other classes such as biochemistry. Unfortunately, the genetics faculty is seldom involved in the teaching of medical genetic issues raised in other preclinical courses, issues that are often crucial to the understanding of disease pathophysiology and physiology. This led to discussion of Intra-Course vs. Inter-Course genetics integration. One model that was proposed was of longitudinal “notebooks” so that as students progress through their years of training, they can note interesting genetic cases for discussion during short courses scheduled during the students clinical years.
What was the major outcome or group consensus on these issues?
It was generally agreed that

1. Broader education of genetic principles and their clinical application is necessary in medical school curricula targeting not only medical students but also faculty, residents, and other health professionals

2. IAMSE should address this topic more broadly since the genetics now penetrate virtually all disciplines taught in the preclinical medical school curriculum. It was suggested the application of genetic principles would be an ideal topic for focus at the 2004 IAMSE meeting.

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