The National Coalition for Health Professional Education in Genetics has identified an urgent need for basic genetics education among all health care providers. Literally every Institute, has protocols that have a genetics component. To address this educational need a NIH multidisciplinary group created """"""""Basic Genetics for Healthcare Providers"""""""". This program combines Web based self-educational modules with traditional lectures. In health care settings, distance learning is a tool that can reach audiences on all shifts and at their work setting. The program curriculum consists of 7 interactive computer modules and a monthly lecture given by a nationally recognized genetics expert. The lecture presentations were also posted on the web modules. An e-classroom was open for questions, discussion with other participants, and responding to the """"""""test your understanding"""""""" exercises. Responses to this program have been overwhelmingly positive. The initial course was pilot tested with 186 health care providers from various disciplines; nursing, pharmacy, social work, dietary and medicine. Sixty-eight % of those enrolled also participated in a pretest-post test evaluation study. The study objectives were to test the effectiveness of this type of learning and to assess the amount of learning that took place. Preliminary data from the pretest highlight the need for genetics education in the Clinical Center: - 22.8% had no previous web based education - 41.3% had no previous genetics education - 11.1% had some type of genetics information Further analysis of the data will include paired t-test to explore mean differences in knowledge, self-efficacy and perceived effectiveness of the program. Study enrollees = 126. Analysis is continuing
