November 2007: Last posted update of program information supplied by institution.
If applicable, accreditation has been confirmed as of February 2008.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Metabolism
Degree granted: M.S. in Genetic counseling
Training available: Masters, M.D. Postdoctoral
Current enrollment: 12 Masters, 2 M.D. Postdoctoral
Number of graduates in last 2 years: 12 Masters, 1 M.D./Ph.D. Postdoctoral
Faculty status: 4 M.S., 5 Ph.D., 8 M.D., 10 M.D./Ph.D.
Areas of concentration: behavioral genetics, biochemical genetics, clinical genetics, cytogenetics, dysmorphology, epidemiology, gene mapping, genetic counseling, molecular genetics, oncological genetics, population genetics, prenatal diagnosis, Mitochondrial genetics, metabolic genetics, neurogenetics
Clinical training fellowships: clinical genetics, genetic counseling
ABMG accreditation:
ACGME accreditation: Clinical genetics
ABGC accreditation: Full status
Financial support: Clinical Genetics - medical school (resident) salary; Genetic Counseling - Financial aid based on need determined by University Financial Aid Office. Research assistant positions may be available for M.S. program students.
Application deadline: Clinical Genetics: Nov. 1 for following July; Genetic Counseling: Feb. 1 for following July
Contact: Maureen Bocian, M.D., Director, Medical Genetics Residency Program, UCI Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics & Metabolism, ZC4482, 101 The City Drive, Orange, CA, 92868, Tel: (714) 456-5792, Fax: (714) 456-5330, E-mail: mebocian@uci.edu

Ann P. Walker, M.A., Director, Genetic Counseling Graduate Program, University of California, Irvine, Tel: (714) 456-5789, Fax: (714) 456-5330, E-mail: awalker@uci.edu

Web homepage: http://www.ucihs.uci.edu/pediatrics/
The training programs are based at the UCI Medical Center in Orange. Additional sites include the UCI main campus in Irvine and Long Beach Memorial Medical Center/Miller Children's Hospital in Long Beach. Clinical genetics training is offered as either a 2-year genetics residency or a 5-year combined pediatrics/genetics residency. Clinical Genetics residents have lab rotations at University of California branches in Los Angeles and San Diego and at Genzyme Genetics in Orange; Genetic Counseling graduate students have lab rotations at Genzyme Genetics. Strong liaisons with the UCI Departments of Biological Chemistry, Microbiology/Molecular Genetics, Developmental Biology, Obstetrics/Gynecology, and Pathology, UCI's Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and pediatric subspecialties strengthen clinical training and expand research opportunities. We have a regional coordination center for California State maternal serum marker screening program and a newborn metabolic screening follow-up program. In addition to clinics and consultations, all trainees have formal courses in clinical, quantitative, biochemical and molecular genetics, cytogenetics, cancer genetics, research methodology, genetic counseling, and psychosocial and ethical issues. Genetic counseling students complete additional courses in child development, counseling theory and technique, and community resources. All trainees attend patient management (clinical and prenatal), cytogenetics and research conferences and selected pediatrics and obstetrics grand rounds and participate in research. For genetic counseling students, experiential professional training (including genetic counseling, clinic administration, cytogenetics, and use of community resources) occurs concurrently in the genetics and metabolic clinics, the prenatal diagnosis program, and the cytogenetics laboratory. Completion of the genetic counseling program requires 75-85 quarter units of credit, a research thesis in a related area, and demonstration of satisfactory professional skills in genetic counseling.