The Harvard Medical School Medical Biochemical Genetics program was first accredited in the fall of 2009 under specialty program director, Gerard T. Berry, M.D. and the first fellow began training July 1, 2010.
This program encompasses the evaluation, prevention, treatment, and discovery of diseases due to genetic defects in human biochemical processes. This area of genetics is recognized as a subspecialty by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) [www.abms.org]. Residency training programs in this subspecialty are accredited by the American Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) [www.acgme.org], are one year in duration, and available only to licensed physicians who are board certified by the ABMG as clinical geneticists. Training in medical biochemical genetics focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with metabolic disorders. Training does not include those skills and knowledge necessary to direct a clinical laboratory. A medical biochemical geneticist deals with the evaluation and treatment of patients with biochemical genetic disorders, defined as inborn errors of metabolism at any age of onset.