Education and Training

GenQA prides itself on providing extensive education and training resources to our participants and the wider genomic community.   GenQA EQAs are led by State Registered Clinical Scientists who have a wealth of experience working in diagnostic laboratories and therefore are able to provide the following education support.

 

 

EQA related education and support for our participants:

GenQA participants will be offered these resources in email communications throughout the year.

 

EQA summary reports:

Participants receive a detailed EQA Summary report for each EQA in which they participate.  This includes a summary of the findings from the EQA, guidance on improvements to their testing processes and/or clinical reports (if required) and reference to current professional guidelines and standards.  EQAs often include educational cases to raise awareness of challenges which maybe encountered by laboratories. These cases are discussed in depth in the EQA Summary report.

 

Pilot EQAs:

GenQA are continually adding new pilot EQAs to their repertoire and reviewing the format of EQAs in response to the changes to testing strategies.  Pilot EQAs are generally focussed on new and upcoming tests that laboratories are introducing.   GenQA request feedback from participants who have participated in a new pilot EQA to ensure we are providing the most appropriate format.   For a complete list of EQAs currently available go to www.genqa.org/EQA.  

 

New participants or participants requiring additional support: 

For laboratories who are new to external quality assessment or have received a poor performance status in an EQA, GenQA are able to offer tailored support to ensure the laboratory can provide the highest quality of testing.   This may take the form of providing additional samples for testing, or review of their testing methodologies.  Please contact us at info@genqa.org for further information.  

 

Individual competency assessment

GenQA offers online assessment tools to enable individuals to evidence their continuing professional development.  Our specialist genomic education and assessment tool, GENie, provides insights for laboratory processes, variant interpretation and tissue assessment (Tissue-i).  The task scenarios are randomly generated with automated assessment and can be completed at your own pace.  For more information go to www.genqa.org/genie.

 

Scientific Participant meetings and workshops:

These are hosted throughout the year at various locations, focussing on best practice and latest developments within clinical genomics.  These face-to-face training sessions are where participants can gain a better understanding of report interpretation and are an excellent opportunity to troubleshoot and discuss any issues.  Participants will receive email invitations to attend.  Details can be found at www.genqa.org/events

 

Scientific meetings and conferences:

GenQA staff present at many scientific meetings and conferences both in the UK and abroad, educating scientists regarding external quality assessment.  We often have a GenQA stand and always welcome participants to come and say ‘hello’.

 

Education resources freely available: 

To hear about these resources sign up to our newsletter (at the bottom of this webpage), see our news page (www.genqa.org/news) or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.   GenQA participants will be automatically notified regarding these resources in email communications throughout the year.

 

Publications:

GenQA are involved in the production of UK and international guidelines, and other scientific publications, in addition to peer reviewed publication of EQA findings.  In addition GenQA staff frequently submit scientific posters or present at various genomics conferences.  For a full list of our publications go to www.genqa.org/publications

 

FOCUS ON webinars:

Throughout the year GenQA provides free online FOCUS ON webinars.  Each webinar focusses on a different aspect of clinical genomics.   Participants who attend a FOCUS ON webinar receive an attendance certificate.  For details of the upcoming webinars go to www.genqa.org/events.  If you missed a webinar, you can catch up on the GenQA YouTube channel.

 

Social media:

GenQA highlights interesting developments and news on LinkedIn.  

 

Individual competency assessment

GenQA offers online assessment tools to enable individuals to evidence their continuing professional development.  Some of these modules are freely available.  For more information go to www.genqa.org/genie.