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Welcome to Genes, Health and Society

Genes, Health and Society is an interactive, asynchronous web-based course that explores the fields of genetics and genomics. The course consists of three discrete modules, each designed to stand alone as an independent unit: Transmission Genetics; The Nature of Genetic Material; and Medical Genetics and Genomics.
Within each module, learners are challenged with self-assessment questions and problems, and receive feedback customized to different responses. Users may choose to access additional review material offered throughout the course. Other important features include an interactive “course notebook”, supplementary resources in the form of “Side Trips,” and video, slides and animated demonstrations.

How to Subscribe: click here.

Genes, Health and Society is available for professional development credit, and also may be completed for three hours of graduate credit. The course currently is available free-of-charge to all Baylor College of Medicine students and employees, and to Houston Independent School District teachers. Users from these organizations should contact the Center for Educational Outreach (see below) to obtain an access code.

Course participants should have some experience with basic chemistry and introductory biology before enrolling. Please contact the Center for Educational Outreach to purchase individual or group access to Genes, Health and Society, and to find out how to obtain graduate credit for completing the course. Each module may be purchased and completed separately. (Please note, once a user has registered and begun the course, no refunds will be issued.)

  • Unlimited subscription, single user, all three modules: $550.
  • Unlimited subscription, single user, one module: $200.
  • Additional fees and requirements apply if graduate credit is desired.
Please contact the Center for Educational Outreach for more information.

Baylor College of Medicine
Center for Educational Outreach
(713) 798-8200
(800) 798-8244
edoutreach@bcm.edu

Join us now! Once you have registered and logged in, you will be able to move freely among the following three modules of the course.




Transmission Genetics
How are physical characteristics transmitted from parents to offspring?
This module focuses on classic Mendelian genetics and the principles of heredity, the methods and tools used to predict the heritability of a given trait, and ideas about the nature of science and the process of scientific inquiry.

Available for 20 professional development contact hours.



The Nature of Genetic Material
What are the molecular structures and mechanisms that encode, replicate and translate the genome into physical characteristics?
This module focuses on the molecular identity, structure and behavior of genetic material, the mechanisms that underlie the translation of the genome into physical characteristics, and the historical events and scientific advances that led to our current knowledge in this field.

Available for 20 professional development contact hours.



Medical Genetics
How does human genetic variation contribute to individual physical characteristics, including disease risk?
This module focuses on the role of genetic variation in human disease, and on how the study of genetics and genomics has fundamentally changed our understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. It also explores the relationships among science, technology, and society and the legal and ethical issues emerging from the field of genetics and genomics.

Available for 20 professional development contact hours.



The development of this course was sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. We express our sincere appreciation for the foundation's assistance.

Baylor College of Medicine