Additional time must be spent doing consults and gaining experience in prenatal diagnosis, genetic screening, genetic counseling, and teratology counseling. Trainees also spend time obtaining experience in the cytogenetics laboratory and clinical, biochemical, and molecular genetics laboratories. They are expected to attend all research and clinical seminars at their base hospital. The mix of clinical cases, conferences, and lectures is intended to provide comprehensive training in medical genetics, dysmorphology, teratology, and prenatal diagnosis, molecular diagnosis, and biochemical genetics. Specialized clinics including craniofacial, skeletal dysplasia, metabolic disorders, and neurological disorders such as tuberous sclerosis, neuro-fibromatosis, Huntington disease and muscular disorders are also available as part of the training program.
Instruction is provided to both types of individuals in all aspects of the discipline.
Whereas the Ph.D. Clinical Chemist will focus on laboratory procedures, operation, maintenance and trouble-shooting, evaluating new and alternative procedures, the Physician will focus on patient care. Each will be taught that in a field known to few nonspecialists, each will have unusual responsibilities for interpretation of results. In addition to actual bench work, the fellows are involved in the pre-review and clinical interpretation of at least 75 additional cases and are involved in directing the laboratory staff in the processing of these samples, recommending and often doing, special studies as needed. This training is spread out over all areas of cytogenetics, including prenatal diagnosis, assessment of congenital abnormalities and reproductive problems and evaluation of cancer patients. The UCLA Intercampus Training Program in Clinical Molecular Genetics is intended for those who wish to direct or co-direct a clinical DNA diagnostic laboratory.