Abstract for presentation at 11th International Congress of Human Genetics

Genetics education in Japanese medical schools: A survey

  • Yoshimitsu Fukushima, Department of Medical Genetics, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Japan
  • Yasuko Yamanouchi, Department of Medical Genetics, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Japan
  • Yuki Mori, Department of Medical Genetics, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Japan
  • Tomoki Kosho, Department of Medical Genetics, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Japan
  • Takahito Wada, Department of Medical Genetics, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Japan
  • Keiko Wakui, Department of Medical Genetics, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Japan
  • Akihiro Sakurai, Department of Medical Genetics, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Japan

    • In order to know how genetics education is provided in training courses for medical doctors, we carried out a survey by questionnaire on all 80 medical schools in Japan. The questionnaire consists of existence of a course for genetics, the amount and content of genetics education. Majority of schools send us a syllabus and we observed the actual condition of genetics education, especially education of clinical genetics including genetic counseling, genetic testing and ELSI relating genetics. A response rate was 81.3% (65 schools). The Results are: 1) Genetics education is generally conducted in medical schools. However, in the majority of cases, genetics education is provided to the first and second year students as biology. 2) Less than half of universities are providing the education of clinical genetics, including genetic counseling, genetic testing, appropriate handling of genetic information and ethical problems relating to genetics, which are critically needed now. In Japan, the Personal Information Protection Law has been implemented across the board since April 2004. Accompanying it are various guidelines relating to the appropriate handling of personal information. As for the guideline for clinical practice, there is the “Guideline for Appropriate Handling of Personal Information by Health Care Providers” announced by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Because genetic information is different from other personal information, the No. 10 item entitled “Handling of Genetic Information for Clinical Use” stipulates that, “In case that medical institutes etc. conduct genetic testing, genetic counseling should be performed for a patient and his or her family by the person who has expert knowledge of clinical genetics and can provide them with psychosocial support.” Japanese medical schools should improve quality and quantity of genetics education for coming genomics era.

    Conference Organiser - ICMS Pty Ltd