Introduction to Genetic Counseling

Genetic Counseling is an emerging area of science, culminating genetics, physiology and psychology. This course aims to educate clinicians, nurses, geneticists and students about the basics of genetic counseling. The course curriculum has been framed on a step by step basis to understand the functioning of genetic counseling. This may help the educators and common public to understand the process of genetic counseling. This course also introduces the genetic testing strategies followed by the genetic counselors and the risks and complications associated with that. Finally, the course explains the ethical and legal implications of genetic testing and counseling processes.

An overview of the course is as follows

Historical overview, definition, models of genetic counseling, components of genetic counseling interaction, providers of genetic counseling, professional and educational landmarks in Genetic counseling

Interpretation of genetic case - pedigree analysis, consent form, family history, risk assessment, verbal and non-verbal communication, psychological aspects of patient- case documentation

Strategies for genetic counseling- characteristics and systems of family, comparison of family therapy – medical therapy, structuring the genetic counseling session

Genetic counseling for specific diseases- Case study for genetic counseling: Huntington's disease; Beta Thalassemia, Fragile X syndrome, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Down syndrome, Leukemia, Breast cancer

Ethics of genetic testing- genetic testing issues, criteria for genetic diagnosis- Ethics and legal issues of genetic testing