ACMG Foundation Announces Revolutionary New Summer Genetics Scholars Program

News provided by

American College of Medical Genetics

Feb 18, 2011, 02:08 ET

BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Medical students from around the country will have an opportunity to experience firsthand the new frontier of medicine in a revolutionary new genetics summer training program just announced by the American College of Medical Genetics Foundation, a prominent non-profit genetics foundation.

There is no charge for medical students to participate as an ACMG Summer Genetics Scholar and, in fact, students will earn a weekly paid stipend for the 6-8 week program.

This is the first program of its kind in the United States.

"The intent of the ACMG Summer Genetics Scholars Program is to introduce medical students to the breadth of experiences, opportunities and lifestyle inherent in the professional practice of a medical geneticist. With a forecasted shortage of highly trained genetics professionals, our hope is that we will able to encourage more students to consider the genetics specialty as a potential career choice at the completion of medical school," said ACMG Foundation President R. Rodney Howell, MD, FACMG.

Twenty institutions from around the US will participate in hosting ACMG Summer Genetics Scholars including:

Case Western Center for Human Genetics
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Children's Hospital Boston
DuPont Hospital for Children
Emory University School of Medicine
George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services
Greenwood Genetic Center
Loma Linda University Medical Center
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Nationwide Children's Hospital Research Institute
Tufts Medical Center
UCLA Department of Human Genetics
University of Alabama - Birmingham
University of California - San Francisco
University of Maryland School of Medicine
University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
Vanderbilt Clinical Genetics Program

Medical students who have completed at least one year of medical school may apply.

Funding for the new ACMG Foundation Summer Genetics Scholars Program is being provided by the ACMG Foundation and corporate sponsors through educational grants. Corporate sponsors to date include Ucyclyd Pharma, Inc. -- Lead Sponsor; BioMarin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. -- Sponsor; Shire Human Genetic Therapies - Sponsor; and Amicus Therapeutics, Inc.-- Contributor.

More information about the new ACMG Summer Genetics Scholars Program can be found at www.acmgfoundation.org.

About the American College of Medical Genetics

Founded in 1991, the American College of Medical Genetics (www.acmg.net) advances the practice of medical genetics by providing education, resources and a voice for more than 1400 biochemical, clinical, cytogenetic, medical and molecular geneticists, genetic counselors and other healthcare professionals committed to the practice of medical genetics. ACMG's activities include the development of laboratory and practice standards and guidelines, advocating for quality genetic services in healthcare and in public health, and promoting the development of methods to diagnose, treat and prevent genetic disease. Genetics in Medicine, published monthly, is the official ACMG peer-reviewed journal. ACMG's website (www.acmg.net) offers a variety of resources including Policy Statements, Practice Guidelines variety of resources including Policy Statements, Practice Guidelines, Educational Resources, and a Medical Geneticist Locator. The educational and public health programs of the American College of Medical Genetics are dependent upon charitable gifts from corporations, foundations, and individuals. The American College of Medical Genetics Foundation (www.acmgfoundation.org) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to funding the College's diverse efforts to translate genes into health. The Foundation is dedicated to Better Health Through Genetics™.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

Michael S. Watson, Ph.D., FACMG

http://www.profnetconnect.com/michael_s._watson_ph.d._facmg

ACMG Media Contact: Kathy Ridgely Beal, 301-238-4582

SOURCE American College of Medical Genetics