At Counsyl, we are starting a free series of educational webinars to promote genetic literacy. Clinical genetics is evolving quickly, and genetic counselors are a limited resource. Physicians and nurses often tell us that it’s hard to keep up. Even as a genetic counselor, I find it challenging to stay current with all of the new clinical applications of genetics, like non-invasive prenatal screening, whole exome sequencing, inherited cancer panels, and personalized genomics. There is plenty of data showing that physicians and nurses are not very comfortable with genetics. Depending on the specialty, some may have only had one course of genetics in school.  At a time when genetics is becoming an integral part of all facets of medicine, this is surely a problem.

Our goal is simple: engage medical professionals through simple and practical tools for education. We’re all about making things accessible at Counsyl. So, mark your calendars and spread the word. Our first webinar is scheduled for January 23, 2014 and the speakers include Caroline Lieber, Dr. John Marshall, and Dr. Bryce Mendelsohn.  The topic is “Understanding Expanded Carrier Screening & Its Benefits to Your Patients.” You can sign up at www.counsyl.com/webinar. Future topics will expand beyond Counsyl to include a broad range of “hot topics.”

For a glimpse of what to expect from our first webinar, check out the bios of our awesome speakers:

Dr. Marshall has served as Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UCLA, Chairman of Obstetrics and  Gynecology at Harbor/UCLA Medical Center,  and Clinical Professor of Biomedical Sciences and Medical Education at Mercer University School of Medicine Savannah Campus.  He authored over 100 scientific publications and currently works for Counsyl.

Caroline Lieber is the former Director of the Joan Marks Graduate Program in Human Genetics at Sarah Lawrence College. She is actively involved in professional education and recently traveled to Guatemala to assess the provision of genetic counseling services abroad. Caroline is a genetic counseling consultant for Counsyl.

Bryce Mendelsohn received his MD/PhD in Molecular Genetics and Genomics from Washington University in St. Louis. Since that time, he completed a clinical residency in Pediatrics. He studies metabolic disorders and has tremendous interest in the pediatric application of genome-era technologies.For suggestions on future webinars or a chance to speak on a hot topic, submit ideas to Kenny Wong, Director of Genetic Services at Counsyl, by filling out this form: http://csyl.us/qzfPO