With genetic and genomic testing increasingly playing a role in many parts of our health system, the need for healthcare professionals to understand and be able to confidently convey test results to patients has never been greater; and yet many nurses and midwives have not had the opportunity to train in this area.
Cambridge University has designed a training package – the ‘Cambridge Gateway to Genetic Counselling’ – to address this need, and to further prepare nurses and midwives for their vital role in delivering genomic medicine.
About the Cambridge Gateway to Genetic Counselling
The Cambridge Gateway to Genetic Counselling training package includes:
- One week of full-time, face-to-face teaching in human genetics and genomics, followed by an assessed assignment, accredited through the Institute of Continuing Education at the University of Cambridge.
- One week of full-time face-to-face training in genomic counselling, followed by an assessed assignment, accredited through the Institute of Continuing Education at the University of Cambridge
- Provision of resources and supervision to facilitate guided learning.
The Gateway package is offered by the Institute of Continuing Education at the University of Cambridge, in partnership with Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences, and EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute.
The training is part of the Cambridge Genomic Medicine Programme and may be funded by Health Education England (HEE). The course may be used towards the educational components of the Set B criteria required for a senior nurse or midwife to be eligible to submit a Notification of Intention to Register form to the Genetic Counsellor Registration Board.
Find out more
For more details about the Gateway training, including dates and accommodation, please email the Cambridge University Institute of Continuing Education: genomics@ice.cam.ac.uk
To apply for Genomic Medicine modules at the University of Cambridge, including the Gateway modules, please visit this site.
Further Reading
- UK GOV PHE Screening Blog: Is the gateway to genetic counselling course for you?
- NHS Health Careers: genomic counselling
- Genetic Alliance UK: Rosa, a journey into genetic counselling
- Nursing in the genomic era
- FutureLearn Course: What is Genetic Counselling?