Our Medical Genetics Residency Program is interdisciplinary and spent at a number of tertiary level Vancouver teaching hospitals and laboratories, all with large patient loads derived from the entire province. The program integrates basic and clinical genetics, with residents completing coursework within the UBC Medical Genetics Graduate Program. The clinical training is within a busy, provincial service that sees approximately 3000 families per year as outpatient, inpatient and outreach consultations. Patients are seen with a wide variety of prenatal, paediatric, and adult conditions. There is close affiliation with both diagnostic and research laboratories.
Curriculum:
The Medical Genetics Resident Program is a five year program and follows the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada guidelines. Below is an outline of the rotations offered in this program:
PGY-1 & 2:
- Paediatrics – 8 months
- Internal Medicine – 8 months
- Maternal Fetal Medicine – 2 months
- Psychiatry – 1 month
- Selectives – 5 months
PGY-3 to 5:
- Course work
- Laboratory rotations (molecular genetics, cytogenetics, biochemical genetics) – 6 months
- Clinical genetics (general, prenatal, adult and biochemical rotations) – 18 months
- Research and electives – up to 12 months
Clinical:
The first 24 months will include rotations in Internal Medicine and Paediatrics as well as Maternal Fetal Medicine and selectives. One month of psychiatry is also a requirement. In year one or 2 the resident can choose to do a rotation in clinical genetics as a selective. In years 3-5, the trainee will complete a minimum of 18 months of clinical genetics, which consists of rotations in general genetics, adult genetics, prenatal genetics and biochemical genetics. During years 3-5, the resident will be on genetic call and will be involved with teaching and supervision of students/residents rotating through the unit.
Research:
Each resident will complete a scholarly project(s) (clinical or laboratory). The topic will be chosen during Year 3 and completed in Years 4 & 5 during protected time for research. The resident will be able to access world-renowned laboratory and clinical research groups to define and complete the project(s).
Additional research experience is available to trainees after completion of the residency program through postdoctoral fellowships in various laboratories.
Academic Half-Day:
The residents are expected to attend a weekly academic half-day. In addition they will participate and present regularly in clinical case conferences, journal club and ethics and research seminars.