GOALS

       The main objective of the program is the training of specialized professionals from the biomedical area in the basic techniques of genetic counseling and in the interpretation of human medical genomic data. This will enable them (1) to perform a series of specific activities (detailed at the end of this paragraph) and (2) to interact with other individuals in multi-professional health teams, thus graduating ethical, sensitive, and supportive professionals with skill and ease for communicating with the lay as well as the specialized public. To achieve these results, the program offers a significant portion of its learning time in practical internships on genetic counseling activities in the outpatient services  of the Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center (IBUSP) and other genetic services. These activities are essential to complement the theoretical contributions from the different disciplines offered by the program.

     It is expected that the Masters in Genetic Counseling will be able, as specialized professionals, (1) to provide updated genetic information to patients and to other health professionals, (2) to co-participate, in public and private hospitals, in multi-professional groups engaged in the study of patients affected by genetic diseases and their family members, and (3) to contribute to the drafting of local, state and national public health policies focused on human and clinical genetics.

     Their specific activities are: a) the survey and interpretation of family history, and the drawing and analysis of pedigrees; b) the interpretation of results of biochemical, chromosomal, molecular and chromosomal-molecular lab tests currently used in diagnosing human genetic diseases; c) the calculation of the risks of disease occurrence and recurrence, based on the family pedigree, population prevalence, laboratory results and bibliographic research; d) the divulgation of educational information on inheritance mechanisms, examinations, prevention and sources of information on genetic diseases; (e) the performance of a psychologically sound genetic counseling that allows informed choices and adaptations to different risk conditions; (f) the breakdown of complex technical language of human genetics into terms understandable to the consultants, the lay public, and other non-specialized health professionals.

The program is recommended for persons with basic under-graduation in the biomedical areas (biology, biomedicine, nursing, psychology, social work, physiotherapy, and other related areas).