Genetics and healthcare professional education: drivers for competence and blocks to learning
Genetic advances present two challenges to health professionals – to use current clinical applications to benefit patients now, and to prepare for the future. The NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre offers a lead to try to meet these challenges, but first wanted to understand the drivers of and blocks to genetics learning in UK health professionals. We found that staff are at different stages in acceptance and understanding of genetics, reflecting the current clinical usefulness in their specialty. Many appear at the level of “unconscious incompetence” in the learning cycle.
We are mapping existing knowledge and skills, and determining attitudes to help devise educational strategies responsive to the needs of different groups, the societal values in which they work and their ethos of learning. Adult learning principles should be fully used to engage and motivate staff, so initiatives grounded in clinical practice demonstrating the relevance of genetics (such as scenarios and patients’ experiences) are particularly helpful.
Some groups strongly support genetics education, but lack of staff or funding prevents staff being released. Undergraduate curricula are overfull and trainers have little experience of genetics in clinical practice.
To accommodate different perspectives and learning styles, a range of resources is required. E-learning appears most acceptable when associated with face to face teaching, preferably during protected learning time. Acquiring “knowledge” through multidisciplinary learning is resisted, but discussion of ethical issues welcomed. Anticipation of a scientific rather than a clinical approach can put off potential learners.
The NGEDC website is designed for those learning and teaching genetics, developing genetics services, and applying genetics in practice, with information on resources and learning support materials for each group.
Educating the workforce may also have consequences for service development and provision.
www.geneticseducation.nhs.uk