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. 2023 Apr 5;16(1):73.
doi: 10.1186/s12920-023-01503-0.

Implementation and evaluation of personal genetic testing as part of genomics analysis courses in German universities

Tamara Slosarek #  1   2 , Susanne Ibing #  1   2 , Barbara Schormair  3   4 , Henrike O Heyne  1   2 , Erwin P Böttinger  1   2 , Till F M Andlauer #  5 , Claudia Schurmann #  6   7
Affiliations

Implementation and evaluation of personal genetic testing as part of genomics analysis courses in German universities

Tamara Slosarek et al. BMC Med Genomics. .

Abstract

Purpose: Due to the increasing application of genome analysis and interpretation in medical disciplines, professionals require adequate education. Here, we present the implementation of personal genotyping as an educational tool in two genomics courses targeting Digital Health students at the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI) and medical students at the Technical University of Munich (TUM).

Methods: We compared and evaluated the courses and the students' perceptions on the course setup using questionnaires.

Results: During the course, students changed their attitudes towards genotyping (HPI: 79% [15 of 19], TUM: 47% [25 of 53]). Predominantly, students became more critical of personal genotyping (HPI: 73% [11 of 15], TUM: 72% [18 of 25]) and most students stated that genetic analyses should not be allowed without genetic counseling (HPI: 79% [15 of 19], TUM: 70% [37 of 53]). Students found the personal genotyping component useful (HPI: 89% [17 of 19], TUM: 92% [49 of 53]) and recommended its inclusion in future courses (HPI: 95% [18 of 19], TUM: 98% [52 of 53]).

Conclusion: Students perceived the personal genotyping component as valuable in the described genomics courses. The implementation described here can serve as an example for future courses in Europe.

Keywords: Genomics education; Personal genotyping; Personalized medicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

Drs. Andlauer and Schurmann are salaried employees of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma and Bayer AG, respectively. All other authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Timeline of the analyze your personal genome course. Magenta items indicate questionnaire periods, blue items teaching activities, and yellow items events related to data
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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