Step Into Genetics — Beginner to Advanced Courses for Clinicians

Genetic testing is becoming an essential tool across clinical specialties—from pediatrics and neurology to internal medicine and general practice. Yet for many physicians, applying genomic data in patient care remains a challenge. Despite increased access to next-generation sequencing (NGS), a significant gap persists between the availability of technology and the confidence to use it effectively.

To address this need, 3billion is launching a comprehensive genetics education program in 2025. Built on extensive clinical experience in rare disease diagnostics, this multi-level curriculum is designed to meet healthcare professionals at different stages of familiarity with genetic testing and support their integration of genomics into routine care.

Step-by-Step Genetics Courses: From Fundamentals to Advanced Case Analysis

Each course is structured for practical application, combining foundational knowledge with real clinical cases. The goal is simple: help physicians move from uncertainty to confidence in ordering, interpreting, and explaining genetic tests.

Beginner Level: Foundations of Genetic Testing

This course is ideal for clinicians who are starting to encounter genetic testing in their practice. Over seven concise modules, it introduces the core concepts of human genetics and connects them to everyday clinical decisions.

Topics include:

• Basic genetic terminology and inheritance patterns
• Types of genetic tests (cytogenetic vs. molecular)
• Introduction to NGS, including panels, WES, and WGS
• Common variant types (SNVs, CNVs)
• Interpreting simple genetic reports

Each lesson is structured with clarity in mind, using real-world examples and simplified analogies. By the end of the course, participants will be better equipped to order appropriate tests and understand the results within clinical context.

Intermediate Level: Building Skills in Genetic Interpretation

For healthcare professionals with a basic understanding of genetics, this course focuses on data interpretation and the tools that support it. Participants begin with an overview of the genetic testing pipeline and then gain hands-on experience with key interpretation resources such as ClinVar, OMIM, gnomAD, and Variant Validator.

Key areas of focus:

• From FASTQ to variant annotation
• Using public databases for clinical relevance
• ACMG guidelines for SNV/Indel classification
• Avoiding common interpretation errors
• Practice with real clinical cases

The course is designed to turn theoretical knowledge into usable clinical skills and prepares learners to confidently review and explain NGS test results.

Advanced Level: Approaching the Hard-to-Diagnose

This advanced course is designed for clinicians and geneticists who are already working with genomic data and want to improve diagnostic precision in unresolved or complex cases. Each module is structured around real diagnostic dilemmas.

Topics include:

• Choosing between exome and genome sequencing
• Interpreting deep intronic variants, CNVs, and SVs using tools like SpliceAI
• Approaching VUS results with clinical frameworks
• Reanalysis and novel gene discovery
• Introduction to emerging technologies such as long-read sequencing and RNA-seq

Participants will develop skills to critically assess inconclusive results and actively contribute to the diagnostic process in rare disease cases.

All Courses Are Now Open!

Participants can begin any track today and move at their own pace. Whether you’re just starting with genetic testing or handling complex rare disease cases, this program is built to support your next step in clinical genomics.

For institutional inquiries or group access, please write to us at support@3billion.io