The Shodair Medical Genetics Department--recent past and future developments

Philip Pallister and John Opitz laid the ground work for a unique genetic service model in Montana that continues to flourish through ongoing support by the Montana Legislature, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and the Shodair Foundation. At the heart of the model are clinical and laboratory genetic specialists based at Shodair Children's Hospital in Helena providing genetic care for patients through outreach clinics. Clinical services are supported by a state-of-the-art cytogenetics and molecular genetic laboratory as well a fetal genetic pathology program. Over the years, the reach of regular genetics clinics expanded to include large geographic areas including northwest (Kalispell), west central (Missoula), southwest (Bozeman, Butte), north central (Great Falls), and south central Montana (Billings). Building on the foundation of its world-renowned pioneers, the next generation of medical geneticists at Shodair carries the responsibility of integrating genomic medicine in the diagnosis and care of their patients, reducing inequality of services within Montana and partnering with colleagues across specialties to develop a more personalized practice of medicine.