LEND-Genetics Fellows: Long-Term Assessment of Interdisciplinary Skills, Service and Leadership

Interdisciplinary skills are a competency for all genetic counselors, however, there are no Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC) standards dictating the implementation of interprofessional education (IPE) within genetic counseling programs. Formal IPE is available to select institutions associated with Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) programs. This is the first research relating to IPE for genetic counseling students. We assessed IP skills and attitudes of former LEND-Genetics fellows (n=8) at the Rose F. Kennedy Center using the Team Skills Scale (TSS) and Attitude Toward Health Care Teams (ATHCT) scale. The mean TSS score was 79.8. The mean ATHCT score was 83.2, while the mean team efficiency and team value subscale scores were 78.3 and 84.5. To assess the outcomes of the LEND-Genetics program nationally, we performed a retrospective analysis of 210 archived follow-up surveys given to fellows after program completion. These data revealed that the majority of fellows are working with maternal child health, underserved and vulnerable populations. They’re more likely to work for government agencies and less likely to work in the private sector than other genetic counselors. The majority (85%) reported performing leadership activities. This assessment shows that the LEND-Genetics program is achieving its aims. We hope the success of the LEND-Genetics program will inform and encourage the creation of future ACGC IPE standards

How do professions globalize? Lessons from the Global South in US medical education

This article explores the professional construction of the space of Global Health. I argue that the growth of Global Health as a field of practice does not merely indicate an intensification of North-South intervention. It is also a professional project of reimporting lessons from the South to countries in the North. I focus on the emerging didactic regime for Global Health in US medical education and the deterritorialized "global" lessons that students are taught in poor countries. By rescaling these lessons to precarious settings at home, the space of Global Health is reterritorialized as a Global Medical South stretching into the United States, reinforcing the perception that health is not a right but a privilege. The analysis is based on a content analysis of university websites and didactic handbooks and a sample of sixty-four articles evaluating the education effects of study abroad experiences. It reveals an emerging canon of Global Health virtues and the construction of domestic scales for Global Health practices, which are based on ethnic and socioeconomic categories. This analysis of professional projects as spatial projects sheds new light on the geography of Global Health and of professional globalization more generally

Experiences of patients and family members with follow-up care, information needs and provider support after identification of Lynch Syndrome

Abstract Background Lynch Syndrome is among the most common hereditary cancer syndromes and requires ongoing cancer surveillance, repeated screenings and potential risk-reducing surgeries. Despite the importance of continued surveillance, there is limited understanding of patient experiences after initial testing and counseling, the barriers or facilitators they experience adhering to recommendations, and how they want to receive information over time. Methods A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted among 127 probands and family members who had received genetic testing for Lynch Syndrome. We conducted semi-structured interviews to determine proband and family member experiences after receiving genetic testing results including their surveillance and screening practices, information needs, and interactions with health care providers. Both closed-ended and open-ended data were collected and analyzed. Results Both probands (96.9%) and family members (76.8%) received recommendations for follow-up screening and all probands (100%) and most family members (98.2%) who tested positive had completed at least one screening. Facilitators to screening included receiving screening procedure reminders and the ease of making screening and surveillance appointments. Insurance coverage to pay for screenings was a frequent concern especially for those under 50 years of age. Participants commented that their primary care providers were often not knowledgeable about Lynch Syndrome and surveillance recommendations; this presented a hardship in navigating ongoing surveillance and updated information. Participants preferred information from a knowledgeable health care provider or a trusted internet source over social media or support groups. Conclusions Probands and family members receiving genetic testing for Lynch Syndrome generally adhered to initial screening and surveillance recommendations. However, factors such as insurance coverage and difficulty finding a knowledgeable healthcare provider presented barriers to receiving recommended follow-up care. There is an opportunity to improve care through better transitions in care, procedures to keep primary care providers informed of surveillance guidelines, and practices so that patients receive reminders and facilitated appointment setting for ongoing screening and surveillance at the time they are due