Previously: Counselling skills for genomics. About the module name changes
About this module
This is an introduction to counselling skills for genomics. The aim of this module is to equip students with the knowledge, communication and counselling skills and appropriate attitudes and behaviours towards the diagnosis and management of patients whose care will be influenced by genomic investigations. Students undertaking this module are taught how to communicate and provide appropriate support to individuals and their families. Development of counselling skills is achieved via theoretical and practical sessions. Students are taught to understand the importance of a family history and communication of pathogenic and/or uncertain results. Patient involvement is an integral feature of this module. The patient perspective will also be considered extensively within the role play delivery.
Before the module
Suggested preparation
Module-specific materials and instructions are provided through your course Moodle/VLE. These refreshers are optional support, not additional assessment requirements.
What you will study
- Communication and counselling skills
- Consent and what it means in relation to the 100,000 Genomes Project
- Ethical and social implications of genomic testing
- How to record and interpret a family history, recognising what is or may be relevant
- How to verify personal and family history information; consent, confidentiality, access to records
- Different purposes of genomic testing
- Approaches to prenatal testing, pre-implantation testing (PGD) and pre-conception carrier screening in relation to new technologies
- Strategies of approach to lifelong patient management of whole genome information
- Managing and explaining complex genome results
- Sources for patient support: patient support groups, on-line resources, other resources
Learning objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
- Explain and justify the importance of and application of informed consent in the field of genomic medicine
- Explain the different purposes of genomic testing in patients with rare inherited diseases, cancer and infectious diseases
- Explain genomic results in terms of diagnosis prediction and uncertainty
- Discuss the concepts of genetic and genomic predispositions to illnesses
- Discuss the consequences of genomic test results on the patient and the wider family including incidental findings drawing on the published evidence base and personal experiences of patients, carers and the wider family
- Explain the range of screening pathways used to test for inherited and acquired disorders and evaluate their effectiveness including how they support clinical decision making
- Discuss and critically evaluate current and potential future ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) of genome testing and whole genome sequencing
- Demonstrate advanced communication skills required to explain complex genomic concepts to a lay audience
- Demonstrate appropriate empathetic and culturally competent practice in supporting patients through the genomic testing process
Teaching
15–19 March 2027
School of Clinical Medicine, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ
Learning objectives follow the 2026–27 curriculum, including programme-team updates.