Medical Genetics Residency Program
The Medical Genetics Residency Program is designed to prepare individuals for an academic career by providing an integrated experience in both clinical and experimental genetics. Training activities in clinical genetics and research are coordinated through the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics. The program prepares the trainee to care for both pediatric and adult patients with cytogenetic, biochemical, and developmental diseases, and gain laboratory experience in a chosen area of medical genetics. Our program enjoys preeminence in the genetics community and is approved by the American Board of Medical Genetics. The program is also supported by a training grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
Current and Graduating Residents for 2011
During the 18 months of clinical rotations, time is divided between rotations on the inpatient consultation service, outpatient general adult & pediatric clinics, subspecialty clinics, and the diagnostic laboratories as well as attending conferences and didactic teaching sessions. The clinical experience is broad and intensive because of the availability of large clinical services and clinical faculty; the comprehensive diagnostic laboratories in cytogenetics, biochemical genetics, and molecular genetics; the active prenatal diagnosis program; and a number of medically relevant research projects.
The primary teaching facilities for the program are the Baylor Clinic, Texas Children's Hospital and Ben Taub General Hospital, in addition to minor clinical duties at The Methodist Hospital, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, The Michael Debakey VA Medical Center, The Woman’s Hospital of Texas and St. Joseph Hospital. The various clinics and inpatient consults amount to well over 4000 patient encounters yearly.
At least six months of research is required, however, most trainees elect to continue their research training beyond the time required for ABMG certification. The trainees in the department have an exceptional track record for obtaining research training awards (NIH K08 and K23 grants as well as private funding sources) that provide funding for salary and research to facilitate the transition from resident to junior faculty.
Financial support is provided for trainees to attend at least one scientific or clinical meeting annually where they present their research. The recommended annual meetings include the following: American Society of Human Genetics, American College of Medical Genetics, and American Society for Clinical Investigation. In addition, print texts (such as the Metabolic and Molecular Basis of Inherited Diseases and Smith’s Recognizable Patterns of Human Malformation) and electronic resources (such as POSSUM and the London Dysmorphology Database) are provided.