The Harvard Medical School Genetics Training Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the American Board of Medical Genetics to offer residency training in Clinical Medical Genetics. The program is accredited by the ACGME to provide two years of graduate medical education (GME) to qualified trainees, although trainees are strongly encouraged to complete an optional third year of training devoted to a research project.

The first year includes rotations at Children's Hospital (6 months), Brigham and Women's Hospital (3 months) and Massachusetts General Hospital (3 months). The first six months of the second year includes laboratory rotations in cytogenetics, molecular genetics, and biochemical genetics, and additional clinical rotations. The final 6-18 months are spent in research at any of the Harvard affiliated institutions, with a continuity clinic at the home site. Residents participate in a core didactic program during the entire period of training. A sample schedule is shown below:

The overall goals of the training program are:

• provide training in medical genetics including dysmorphology, inborn errors of metabolism, prenatal diagnosis, adult genetic disease, and cancer genetics
• become familiar with the performance and interpretation of cytogenetic, biochemical genetic, and molecular genetic laboratory tests
• become proficient in risk assessment based on family history and laboratory data
• develop good communication skills with patients, families, and colleagues
• provide a knowledge base of the basic science of genetics and development
• become sensitive to ethical issues in genetics and genetic counseling
• provide an opportunity to participate in a research project a develop clinical and laboratory research skills