In line with the general mission of the UEMS (www.uems.eu), the main purposes of the Section of Medical Genetics are the harmonisation and raising of standards relating to the training, practice, continuous medical education, and professionalism of medical geneticists in European countries.

The specialty of Medical Genetics (also known as Clinical Genetics or Human Genetics in some countries) has witnessed enormous advances during the decades following the completion of the Human Genome Project, with new technologies opening up the era of Genomics. As a specialty, Medical Genetics is increasingly directly relevant for diagnosis, surveillance, and treatment in many, if not all, clinical disciplines. This applies not only to individual patients but often the immediate and wider family members. At its core, Medical Genetics comprises the knowledge of, and research on, the link between variants in the genome and clinical findings, as well as the good practice and ethical application of this knowledge. As medicine becomes increasingly multidisciplinary, and genetic investigations are used across many specialties, Medical Geneticists have a key role in contributing to good medical care by providing an expert knowledge-based resource in liaison with all disciplines.

All this has to be reflected in the requirements for training, assessment and examination, and continuing medical education. The revised version of the European Training Requirements for the specialty has been approved by the UEMS Council in October 2023. Our most prominent current project is the provision of an online exam, both for a written and oral part, for the European Certificate of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ECMGG), constructed in collaboration with the European Board of Medical Genetics (EBMG) and the European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG). This exam has recently been accredited by the Council of European Specialist Medical Assessment of the UEMS. We actively participate in the work of this Council and the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education of the UEMS. We are in close contact with the ESHG and have agreed a Memorandum of Understanding, together with the EBMG. We wish to expand professional relations with other Sections relating to optimal patient care.

Please consult our website for current information or send us your comments or suggestions for its improvement.

Birgitte Rode Diness
President
Section of Medical Genetics