The impact of a genetics education program on physicians' knowledge and genetic counseling referral patterns.

Background: Gaps in the knowledge of general practitioners (GPs) in medical genetics prevent the effective utilization of genetic services and increase the risk of liability. Educators recommend that genetics should be integrated into existing teaching programs but the effectiveness of these types of programs is unknown.

Aim: The objective of this study was to provide a 2-year educational program for GPs untrained in genetics and to document its impact on genetic knowledge and referrals to a genetic counselor (GC).