Combined pediatrics/medical genetics residents spend the first year as interns in pediatrics. During their second and third years, residents spend half their time in pediatrics and half in genetics. The fourth year is spent entirely in genetics.
Genetics rotations are set in two- to four-week blocks. Residents have four weeks of vacation per academic year. During inpatient genetic rotations and the Newborn Screening rotation, the residents take home call from Monday at 8 a.m. through Friday at 4:30 p.m. There are no home or in-house calls on other genetic rotations.
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Year 1: Rotations in Pediatrics
Years 2–3: Split evenly between Pediatrics (6 months) and Medical Genetics (6 months).
Our required Genetics rotations include:
- Undiagnosed Disease Program (1 month)
- Cancer (1 month)
- Prenatal (1 month)
- Newborn Screen (2 weeks)
- Inpatient Genetics/Metabolism
- Outpatient Genetics/Metabolism
- Laboratory Rotations
- Biochemical - 2 weeks
- Cytogenetics - 2 weeks
- Genomics - 2 weeks
- Genetic Counseling
- Subspecialty Clinics
- Research
Residents will gain experience in the following subspecialty clinics based on availability and interest:
- Disorders of Sexual Development
- Cardiogenetics
- Osteogenesis Imperfecta
- Cleft and Craniofacial Clinics
- Huntington Disease and Progressive
Neurodegenerative Disease Clinic - Vascular Clinic
- Angelman Syndrome Clinic
- Prader Willi Clinic
- Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS)
- Skeletal dysplasia
- Down Syndrome
- Lysosomal Storage Disease
- Hearing Loss
- Metabolism
- Neurofibromatosis
- Rett Syndrome
Genetics continuity clinic starts in the resident’s third year. The patient load for continuity clinic increases over time as the resident’s skills and efficiency improve to prepare for independent clinical practice.
Year 4: The first six months is Rotations in Genetics. In the second six months, clinical responsibilities are decreased to allow time for research and professional development. There are opportunities for individualized curriculum and electives.
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Residents are encouraged to undertake a mentored research project during their training and present their work at regional and national meetings (e.g., ASHG, ACMG, and SIMD).
Meetings and Protected Educational Time
During the course of the training program, each resident will be expected to attend NAMA (North American Metabolic Academy), which is a week-long intensive metabolic course organized by the Society for Inherited Metabolic disorders. Attendance at this course is covered by our training program. Residents also have the opportunity to attend additional national conferences with their educational funds.
In addition, our division has weekly educational sessions, including:
- Wednesday at 8 a.m. - UDN Screening Meeting
- Wednesday at 9 a.m. - Genetics Division Meeting
- Interesting Labs
- Journal Club
- Resident Case Conference
- Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. - Clinical Review Meeting
- Wednesday at 12 p.m. - Resident Didactic Learning
- Friday at 12-1:30 p.m. – Metabolic Lecture Series
Residents also are required to participate in structured semester-long courses in genetics that provide a solid foundation of general genetics knowledge, enhance clinical training, and prepare residents for the ABMGG board exam.