Professor Barbara Lerner will teach a new course, BIOL 235b American Health Policy & Practice and the Delivery of Genomic Health Care, in Spring Semester, 2012. The course is now scheduled for Block X2,  Tuesdays from 6:30 PM–9:20 PM. Enrollment is limited to Genetic Counseling or Health Policy graduate students or with permission of the instructor.

The continuous discovery of genetic markers for common diseases is leading to an increasing demand for genetic services, and for the integration of traditional medical genetics with mainstream medicine and public health care. In addition, the American healthcare system is evolving and huge changes in how care is accessed, financed and delivered can be expected in the coming years. Those providing genetic services will therefore need a strong background in the structure of the American healthcare system and how public policy is influencing the field of medical genetics. This course is specifically designed to meet this objective using a mixture of readings from the literature, writing assignments, lecture, class discussion, guest speakers, and student presentations.