Healthcare is undergoing a transformative shift propelled by advances and increasing access to genomic technology. Allied health professionals are a widely diverse group of health care workers with expertise in over 40 specialties including audiology, dietetics, respiratory therapy, medical laboratory science, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, radiography, and speech-language therapy. Despite their diversity, they all encounter genomics related health conditions in their work. However, the curricula of allied health degree programmes in Ghana and West African lack genomics education content highlighting a critical gap in the training of allied health professions in the sub-region. The purpose of the AHG short course is to provide final year students and allied health professionals already in employment with basic competencies in genomics to allow them to fully participate in the delivery of genetic health.
TARGET GROUPS
Allied Health Genomics is designed primarily for working allied health professionals, and final year students who are poised to join the allied health workforce. In addition, the course will benefit other health workers, including physicians, nurses and midwives, pharmacists.
COURSE DURATION
The programme is a 5-day short course comprising 40 hours of lectures, group work, discussions and applied learning activities.
COURSE FEE
$250 or Cedi equivalent. It is free for students.
REQUIREMENTS FOR AWARD OF CERTIFICATE
Certificate of Participation will be awarded to trainees who complete the 5-day course, through active participation in all group and specialty-specific sessions, and successfully complete pre- and post-course assessments.
COURSE STRUCTURE
Allied Health Genomics is a 40-hour course delivered over five-days. Â The course presents opportunities to equip participants with basic, knowledge in genetics and genetic testing to provide certificate-level genetics-informed care to their clients. Topics are structured such that each day builds progressively on lessons from previous days to ensure easy engagement with the whole course by trainees. The course is developed to tackle the following broad thematic areas in genetics: (1) Big initiatives and projects in human genetics globally and in Africa, (2) Molecular pathogenesis, (3) Common genetic/developmental disorders encountered by allied health professionals, and (4) Molecular therapeutics. Specific topics include the Human Genome Project, major genomic projects in Africa, human genetic diversity in Africa, molecular basis of genetic disease, common genetic disorders that require various allied health professional intervention, the social, ethical, and legal implications of genetic testing.
OBJECTIVES
- To provide allied health professionals with an overview of genomics within the context of allied health professions
- To expose participants to major genetic breakthroughs and ongoing projects in human genomics.
- To equip participants with essential knowledge and skills to support effective communication of complex genetics-related health information and management of clients of diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
- To enable participants appreciate the cultural/social, ethical, and legal implications of genomics medicine.
- To offer the opportunity for participants to develop their professional skills and competencies in genomics and allied health professional practice.
Intended Outcomes
At the end of this course, it is expected that participants will be able to:
- Become aware of major genomic initiatives and projects in Africa and globally, and become conversant with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and other regulations in genomic medicine.
- Gain knowledge in genetic testing techniques and understand the social, ethical and legal implications of genetic testing and genetic counselling.
- Understand the role of genetic counsellors, the key skills required for genetic counselling and the contexts in which people should receive genetic counselling.
- Understand the genetic bases and mechanisms of hearing impairment and stammering, and identify common genes associated with hearing loss and stammering.
- Gain knowledge in the phenotypic manifestations, risk factors, signs and symptoms, nutrition care process (NCP), and principles for providing medical nutrition therapy for patients with Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.
- Understand the molecular genetics, pathophysiology, and epidemiology of Phenylketonuria (PKU), and how this condition is managed, identify high-phenylalanine foods and PKU-free diets, and various strategies employed to manage PKU.
- Gain insight into the genetic basis and phenotypic characteristics of Down’s Syndrome/Trisomy 21, and the limitations of cytogenetic methods used for its diagnosis. Additionally, participants will understand the challenges faced by individuals with Down’s syndrome, and the role occupational therapists and the physiotherapists play in disease management.
- Gain knowledge in the structure and function of the Breast Cancer Gene 1 (BRCA1) gene, and how mutations of this gene is linked to carcinogenesis, the molecular genetic methods for BRCA1 mutation testing and the recommended tests.
- Understand the genetic basis of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), identify challenges faced by individuals with SCD, and explore the role of occupational therapy in disease management.
- Understand the clinical manifestations of Osteoarthritis (OA) and the current physiotherapy management of this condition.
- Understand the role of radiography in the early detection, management and personalised treatment of various diseases including cancer
- Gain understanding of the role of genetics in rheumatic heart disease, and the molecular genetics and clinical manifestation of this condition.
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