Preparing genetic counselors to serve Native American communities

Area of Science:

• Medical Genetics
• Genetic Counseling Training
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Genetic counseling (GC) emphasizes cultural sensitivity and patient-centered care.
• There's a recognized need for diversity in GC to address health inequities in underrepresented communities.
• Limited data exist on GC programs' efforts for Native American individuals and communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how North American GC training programs address Native American representation, culturally relevant curricula, and community engagement.
• To identify current methods, successes, and barriers in GC training related to Native American needs.
• To promote equity by fostering partnerships between GC programs and Native American communities.

Main Methods:

• Survey of genetic counseling training programs in North America.
• Investigation of program efforts in Native American student recruitment and enrollment.
• Assessment of culturally relevant curricula, clinical opportunities, and community engagement.

Main Results:

• Reported recruitment efforts for Native American representation are limited across surveyed GC programs.
• Curricula content and clinical opportunities serving Native American needs are also limited.
• Community engagement efforts with Native American communities are reported as minimal.

Conclusions:

• Genetic counseling training programs currently demonstrate limited engagement with Native American communities and needs.
• There is a significant opportunity to improve cultural relevance and representation within GC education.
• Fostering partnerships is essential for advancing equity in genetic services for Native Americans.