Proteomics, genomics and the future of medical education

The completion of the human genome project in 2003 ushered in the era of genomics, the systematic study of our DNA sequence. Proteomics, the study of the full complement of proteins present in a cell, is a natural extension of genomics. Together, the information obtainable through genomics and proteomics has tremendous potential to change clinical practice. The application of such information to medical diagnosis and treatment will require significant changes in the training of physicians. All students and physicians in training will need to acquire enough knowledge of the underlying science, including medical genetics, epidemiology, bioinformatics and statistics, so they will intuitively understand the technology and recognize the strengths and limitations of genomic/proteomic tests. Because genomic or proteomic testing may yield extensive information about a person's genetic makeup and disease risks, consideration will need to be given throughout the medical curriculum to the ethical issues raised by the application of this new technology to the diagnosis and treatment of patients.