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NICHD Medical Genetics Training Fellowship Program
Although the NICHD-Medical Genetics Training Fellowship Program is not an ACGME-accredited program, it participates in the NIH Human Genetics Training Program, which is run by the National Genome Research Institute; all clinical faculty of the NICHD Program are also attendings of the NHGRI Program. A NICHD Genetics fellow who wants to receive ACGME-approved training towards eligibility by the American Board of Medical Genetics can be enrolled in the NHGRI-run program (Program Director: Dr. M. Muenke), while also serving NICHD clinical protocols on human genetics and participating in the NICHD Genetics clinic, which is run by Drs. Raygada, Rennert, and Stratakis.
The program supports one 3-year fellowship program; our current fellow is Dr. Simona Bianconi, who is also part of the NHGRI program and is now on her second year of training. Director of the Program is Dr. Constantine A. Stratakis; in addition to Drs. Rennert and Raygada, other faculty include Drs. Forbes Porter, Anil Mukherjee, and Janice Chou. Dr. Stratakis is also responsible for the Endocrine Genetics training of all NHGRI residents and fellows; annually 2-3 NHGRI fellows rotate through the genetics and endocrine clinics of NICHD.
The genetics program at NICHD has provided world-class training opportunities; it was run within the Heritable Disorders Branch (HDB) until 2007, when HDB became part of the Program on Developmental Endocrinology ans Genetics (PDEGEN). PDEGN also houses the ACGME-approved Pediatric Endocrinology program. Dr. Stratakis is the Head of PDEGEN and also the fellowship Program Director for Pediatric Endocrinology.
Seventeen clinical fellows have completed training in Human Genetics since the inception of the Program. Residents certified or board-eligible in pediatrics or internal medicine are eligible to apply. Residents trained in pathology, obstetrics/gynecology, or neurology are also being considered. For U.S. citizens and permanent residents, a valid U.S. license is required. For foreign medical graduates, applicants must have passed ECFMG Parts I and II as well as TOEFL and the new USMLE Clinical Skills Assessment. Within PDEGEN, both basic and clinical genetics research is being conducted on a variety of human genetic disorders.
The usual training program (with responsibilities over PGY levels) is for 2-3 years, but can be extended up to 5 years. Clinical training is confined to the first and second year of the program, involves primary management of pediatric patients participating in clinical genetic protocols on inborn errors of metabolism and connective tissue disorders, and occurs on the 1NW and 5NW Wards of the NIH Clinical Center. Clinical/laboratory research time is available. The formal evaluation process used to assess the educational performance of fellows includes performance standards such as applying standard medical practices and applying standard medical treatment, functioning as the junior medical staff of the medical team, and demonstrating successful progress in carrying out research activities.
The Program also accepts on a monthly rotation basis second-and third-year residents of the General Pediatrics program from the Georgetown University Medical Center. The residents attend the Genetics and Pediatric Endocrine Clinics and take care of protocol patients on the 1NW Pediatric Ward of the NIH Clinical Center.
For more information, please visit www.cc.nih.gov/training/gme/programs/medical_genetics.html.