What's up with Reproductive Genetics

[OBGirlie]

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So I'm watching Desperate Housewives and Susan went to see a reproductive geneticist due to her "advanced maternal age" and it made me go "hmmm." I really loved genetics and I like OB-GYN, so what exactly does becoming a reproductive geneticist involve? What is their day to day like? I'm just curious, it sounds pretty cool.

 

[InNeedOfFriends]

good question...I am honestly not sure, but I THINK you can get to it by three routes---someone correct me if I am wrong....
1. do Ob...then genetic fellowship
2. do peds... then the genetic fellowship
or
3. do IM... then the genetic fellowship

 

[InNeedOfFriends]

not completely sure if this is training for a "reproductive" genetic doc...
http://henryford.com/body.cfm?id=37272
freida: http://www.ama-assn.org/vapp/freida/pgm/0,1238,1302521001,00.html

 

[InNeedOfFriends]

I would be interested in learning more about this field as well...maybe an attending can comment...

 

[DeaconMD04]

I'm pretty set on Reproductive Endocrinology, and since I'd like to focus my research on preimplantation genetic diagnosis, I was actually randomly looking at stuff on the Medical Genetics residency. I think you can maybe do it by itself, or also as a Peds/Genetics combo, an IM/Genetics combo, or do OB, then combine MFM/Genetics. There are also programs like Clinical Molecular Genetics and Clinical Cytogenetics. I'm not completely clear on it all. This is just what I got from a few minutes of searching. It is some cool stuff. Susan probably went to a MFM/Genetics specialist or a REI specialist.

 

[InNeedOfFriends]

I'm pretty set on Reproductive Endocrinology, and since I'd like to focus my research on preimplantation genetic diagnosis, I was actually randomly looking at stuff on the Medical Genetics residency. I think you can maybe do it by itself, or also as a Peds/Genetics combo, an IM/Genetics combo, or do OB, then combine MFM/Genetics. There are also programs like Clinical Molecular Genetics and Clinical Cytogenetics. I'm not completely clear on it all. This is just what I got from a few minutes of searching. It is some cool stuff. Susan probably went to a MFM/Genetics specialist or a REI specialist.

my goal is do IM, and then if I'm up to it...go for the genetics fellowship...we'll see🙄...I love genetics...

 

[collegefootball]

Our health care system is in need for more trained genetic specialists. I think that you have to do an initial residency requirement in Obstetrics and Gynecology to do what you want. I think a fellowship in clinical genetics if you don't do an OBGYN residency won't put you in the position you want. I'm sure that a peds residency and then a genetics fellowship can allow you to be a clinical geneticist, which is different than a reproductive geneticist.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis is full of a lot of ethical issues. There are basically no regulations in this area...but that will change in the near future.

I'm all for the debate for or against inheritable genetic modification, but I'm against the use of it in practice.

Feel free to keep in touch. I love human genetics and want to become a human genetics expert witness in court.

 

[InNeedOfFriends]

I guess my goal is more clinical... really anything with genetics interests me...
I'm going for IM cuz I need a back-up career option, just in case I decide I don't want to proceed any futher in my education-- I would rather do IM than peds or ob...

 

[dj_smooth]

We refer patients down to a guy in Denver who did ob-gyn and then a genetics fellowship. He does beaucoup amnios and genetic u/s and has a genetic counsellor, etc. I sent a patient to see him and the report I got back was amazing...pretty cool stuff. I sorta thought nowadays that one would have to be MFM trained to do this stuff...maybe not?? Sure would be interesting work.

 

[mdjobexchange]

It sounds like an interesting field and you could definitely have a niche. the pts in my wife's REI practice freguently get PGD and she then counsels them about their options, which is never an easy conversation. Having somebody to refer to wuld be nice.
It seems to me that MFM would be a better fellowship for it, as their are many more people who find out about genetic defects outside of the IVF population. They find out at 18 weeks that they have a genetic issue and then wonder what they are going to do. There are many 32-40ish women who do clomid or injectable cycles and never have the option for PGD, yet have a much higher incidence of genetic problems.