Genetics Education for Non-Genetic Health Care Professionals in the Netherlands (2002)

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether medical care providers in the Netherlands are adequately educated in genetics by collecting information about the current state of genetics education of non-genetics health care professionals. Method: The curricula of the 8 universities providing medical education and of all varieties of specialised medical training were examined for the year 2002. Results: In most universities, the number of hours spent on genetics education is small, and genetics is relatively invisible, being integrated within several courses, comprising only a small proportion of the total course (a mean of 8%). Only 3 of the programmes for medical specialist training and the training of medical doctors for mentally handicapped people indicated a formal genetics education programme. Continued education courses on genetics are offered irregularly. Training in midwifery involves at least 3 weeks of genetics education. Courses on genetics are offered frequently to practicing midwifes. Conclusion: There appear to be no general, nationally defined final goals for education in genetics for non-genetics health care professionals in the Netherlands. Furthermore, the lack of visibility of genetics in medical education in the Netherlands was striking.