Opportunities and Obstacles in Genetic Counseling Training: The Philippines' Experience

In an emerging country, the needed healthcare system infrastructure for clinical diagnosis and management of vulnerable patients with genetic conditions is not yet fully addressed. Specifically in the Philippines, there are currently only 7 medical geneticists serving 92 million people. Despite the paucity of trained specialists, public health genetics programs (e.g., Newborn Screening, the Birth Defects Surveillance Project, and the proposed Telegenetics Referral System) are rapidly expanding. International collaboration with medical geneticists prompted initial planning of the urgent need to establish a genetic counseling training program in the country. An assessment was conducted to determine aspects of the genetic counseling profession most relevant to the community and the ideal strategy for training. Input from experts in various public health fields was sought during curriculum development. In June 2011, training the Philippines' first cohort of genetic counseling students is projected to commence at the University of the Philippines Manila. About 10 students per year are enrolled to eventually fill the estimated need of at least 81 trained genetic counseling professionals for the country. Student-mentor collaboration with experienced genetic counselors in the United States and Canada was created to enhance training through web-based communications. The establishment of the genetic counseling training program necessitated the strategic planning of committed local medical geneticists with the collaboration of experienced genetic professionals. Its success depended on the integration into the existing healthcare system, the health concerns of the population, and the advancement of genomics to improve health.