The Department of Medical Genetics
The Department of Medical Genetics at The University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine was created to offer the opportunity to expand the clinical, academic, and research opportunities in this rapidly developing discipline.
Medical Genetics is changing the way doctors practice medicine. Genetics is no longer a subspecialty within other disciplines focusing on rare single gene disorders. During the decade of the 90's it became a medical specialty recognized by the AMA. Recently the role of genetics has expanded to all areas of medicine. Primary care physicians and other specialists need to understand genes and gene interaction with the environment to manage many patients with common disorders. The explosion of genetic knowledge and daily discovery of new genes linked to diseases is communicated to the public through the media, the Internet, support groups and advertising. Patients now expect that physicians will be able to help them determine what is valid and what is misleading or inaccurate.
The goals of the department are:
- To apply new research developments in this field to clinical practice.
- To teach medical genetics to physicians, residents, medical students and graduate students.
- To collaborate in research in areas where genetics influence clinical care.
The clinical activities include:
- The Clinical Department of Medical Genetics with credentials approved by the hospital Credentials Committee and by the staff of the hospital.
- The UT Genetic Center which provides clinical genetic services and genetic laboratory services (Cytogenetics, Biochemical Genetics and Molecular Genetics).
Teaching activities have two components:
- Medical Genetics Education for residents in primary care and in several specialties.
- Graduate Education for graduate students in Comparative and Experimental Medicine and other University of Tennessee Departments.
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