Human Genetics Society of Australasia

1 September 2010

Hello everyone,

It’s been sometime since I wrote a report for Linkage or an email about Board activities. As today is the 1^st of September, and submissions are due at the end of this month, it seemed timely to write. Sue Fawcett suggested that I write a regular blog as we approach the September submission deadline. I’m sure you all get more than enough emails without a weekly blog, so I am anticipating that this is a one-off email (unless I receive lots of questions).

As a Board we are looking forward to receiving the first portfolio submissions, along with submissions from candidates who have chosen to continue their certification by case reports. The revision of the training guidelines has been a huge part of my life for the past 2 years and I feel both excited and nervous about receiving the first submissions of the new portfolios. I imagine that those of you who are preparing portfolio submissions may have similar feelings – some nervousness about interpreting the guidelines and trying the new tasks, and perhaps also some excitement about being among the first genetic counsellors in Australasia to train using the revised guidelines.

While the new guidelines are now available, we have several tasks still in progress. We have developed a cross-training policy and are awaiting feedback from HGSA Council about this policy prior to making it available on the website. We have also completed a document called HGSA Certification Eligibility for Overseas Trained and/or Certified Genetic Counsellors and again, we are awaiting feedback from HGSA Council before circulating this document. We have been working on a document regarding accreditation of the university programmes and this is in its final stages now.

There will be several opportunities to discuss aspects of the revision of training and certification during the ASGC/HGSA meetings in Melbourne. The Board will be running a workshop for supervisors on the Sunday prior to the ASGC workshop, so please keep this in mind when you are booking your travel. We will have a question and answer session for candidates on Monday at lunchtime (pending confirmation of room availability). On Monday afternoon the ASGC LOC has scheduled a professional development session which will include discussion about training and certification.

The membership of the Board has undergone some recent changes. Lisa Gordon rotated off the Board earlier this year and my thanks go to Lisa for her contributions to the Board during a busy period. Jane Wallace has now joined the Board.

I’ve had several questions about examples of the reflective essay. The Board has discussed this question and has agreed that at this stage we will not put any examples on the website. The reflective essay is a new task and there are several ways that the essay could be approached. We encourage candidates to read the guidelines, which contain detailed information about what we are looking for. We are cognisant of the anxiety of being among the first to complete the reflective essay, and this will be reflected in our feedback of this task.

For those of you who are doing the modified portfolio remember that you are able to resubmit one long case for consideration in your portfolio. Long cases can be resubmitted if they were accepted without a request for resubmission initially.

Please remember that we need all current candidates to notify us in writing of their intention to either continue with case reports or transition to the portfolio at this submission.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any thoughts or questions about the guidelines or about other training matters. I’m very happy to answer queries by email or phone.

Best wishes

Alison McEwen

• 
  Chairperson
  Ms Alison McEwen
• 
   
  Ms Anne Baxendale
• 
   
  Dr Jo Burke
• 
   
  Dr Felicity Collins (Clinical Geneticist)
• 
   
  Ms Lisa Gordon
• 
   
  Ms Jillian Parkes
• 
   
  Ms Carolyn Rogers
• 
   
  MaryAnne Young
• 
   
  Cindy Zaitsoff
• 
  Administration Assistant
  Ms Cayathri Parasivam