Section 4. Evidences required for the assessment of competences

* Or equivalent part-time

Depending on registration route, a period of 2, 4 or 5 years of postgraduate clinical experience (or equivalent if part-time) is required by the time intention to register is submitted.

Each section of the process below is designed to examine professional ability in relation to the competences for genetic counsellors. Each type pf evidence required will be filled in a form. Additionally to the information below, please carefully check each form for further detailed instructions.

Assessment will be based on the applicant satisfactorily submitting the following:

4.1 Two references 

A minimum of two structured references are required for every applicant.  The references are used to enable the EBMG to assess whether the applicant is working in a genetic counselling context, has the appropriate competences and is working within the Code of Practice.  Hand written references should be avoided. 

One reference should be from a senior colleague, preferably a registered genetic counsellor or registered genetic nurse, or a senior medical geneticist who has worked closely with the applicant for a significant period during the two-year period of preparation for registration. This referee should have been present as an observer during at least two consultations undertaken by the counsellor and provide a short report on the counsellor's competence related to those observations.  Confirmation that cases have been observed is not necessary for applicants who already hold an approved national registration. 

Please note references are crucial in the assessment of applications and are expected to be as detailed as possible in the description of the applicant competences and roles, explicitly addressing all the following aspects:

The first reference MUST address the ways in which the applicant: 

a) Works within the European genetic counsellor Code of Professional Practice

b) Manages a clinical caseload 

c) Has access to and uses both counselling and clinical supervision

d) Maintains their professional knowledge and skills 

e) Interacts with members of the multi-disciplinary team. 

An additional reference is required from the applicant's line manager.  Where the line manager does not work in the department with the applicant, a third reference from a senior colleague will be required. 

A line manager is the person to whom the professional is directly responsible for their work in the organisation.   Normally the line manager would manage the professional’s working contract, attend to any issues regarding their work conditions and be the person who approves study leave. 

Form D should be used for the references for all Normal Route, Route A and Route C candidates.

Please note that applicants under National route, who have already successfully registered with one of the EBMG approved systems, must ask their referees to complete Form N.  Applicant Reference Form under National route. For these applicants it is not necessary to maintain a purely clinical role in genetic counselling as they have already obtained registration.

4.2 Case log 

Applicants will need to submit a case log of at least 50 cases to demonstrate that they have all of the required competences.  The case log must be verified by the line manager or the senior colleague to confirm that the applicant have performed the tasks as stated. Form E will be used to record the case log. 

Special points to remember:

• In keeping with the Code of Professional Practice, patient names or identifying details must not be used, 
• The contact the applicant record with the family must have taken place no more than 3 years before the submission,
• Cases seen by the applicant during the Master's programme cannot be used,
• Applicant should demonstrate each clinical skill in at least 10 cases,
• In each case, applicant should demonstrate at least five clinical skills, 
  
• You must use a legend to make it clear the type of condition in each case (see example of case log).  Please be specific about the case.  Rather than ‘cardiac’ or ‘prenatal’, you should indicate ‘hypertrophic cardiomyopathy’ or ‘autosomal dominant cardiac arrhythmia’ or ‘prenatal diagnosis of Niemann Pick’. 
• See notes on the different competences required for the case log.

4.3 Continuing Professional Development Record (CPD)

Continuing Professional Development Record

All registrants must submit the Continuing Professional Development Record showing their Continuing Professional Development activities undertaken in the previous two years (two complete calendar years before submission date).  The applicant must have at least 30 hours of continuing education per year. Of these hours, at least 15 hours must be taken via sources external to the department where the applicant works on a daily basis (such as conferences or educational courses).

The remaining hours may include: private study of journal articles (up to 5 hours per year), journal clubs, departmental seminars and preparation for teaching. Research is not considered continuing education, although literature reviews to support your research could be counted as study of journal articles.

CPD should be documented as hours (not days) and indicate whether each activity is internal or external. The minimum requirements of CPD are irrespective of hours worked. (e.g. part time or full time).  You should log the amounts of active hours attended at conferences. When a conference or course has issued formal Continuing Medical Education Hours (CME or CPD), a maximum of these hours should be used.  Hours for CPD are the hours engaged in learning activities, and does not include meal breaks or attendance at conference social activities.  If there are no formal CME or CPD hours associated with the conference or course, the maximum hours that you can claim is 7.5 hours per day for a full day or 4 hours for a half day. The log should not contain all the CPD undertaken and it should not exceed the amount of hours required or the document will be returned for adjustment before it can be assessed.

Registrants must record the date and type of education, but also write reflective comments on what they learnt from the education and how they have integrated that into their practice. This means stating specifically what you will do differently in your future practice to achieve better outcomes for your patients, based upon what you learned from your CPD. There is no need to go into detail about what you learned; it is more important to make clear how you will change your practice in the future as a result of what you learned. It is not enough to say, for example, ‘This is important for providing genetic counselling’ – you must clearly describe how your practice will be different in the future. These reflections also apply to CPD logged for private study and/or preparation for teaching (here please reflect on the content reviewed for the preparation of the teaching session not on the actual teaching session which it is not considered a CPD activity). Please note that the demonstration of integration of the learning into practice is an essential part of the CPD record. For a series of lectures or seminars, please list the individual dates and topics. 

What can applicants include in the CPD log? (please see Form F  for more information)

• Conferences 
• Educational courses.  Courses undertaken where the applicant is registered as a student at another institution would be regarded as external hours.  For example, if an applicant is registered for modules, an MSc or a PhD related to genetic counselling at a university, this is regarded as external hours.   
• Departmental seminars 
• Journal club
• Webinars
• Private study (for example when preparing a manuscript) – up to five hours per year.
• Preparing for teaching – up to five hours per year.

What is not CPD?

• Clinical case discussion meetings
• Hours spent teaching others (although preparation time can be used). 
• Business/Clinical meetings
• Multi-disciplinary team meetings.

•    For the year 2020 and 2021, due to Covid-19, the amount of required CPD hours is reduced by 50% 

Statutory Leave

Statutory Leave (e.g. Maternity/Long Term Sickness/Sabbatical/Career Break): If a registrant has been away from the workplace for a statutory reason the EBMG appreciates that it might not be possible to acquire 30 hours of CPD in each year. The total number of CPD hours (depending on the route for registration) is still required to ensure the registrant is maintaining their current knowledge, but the registrant can redistribute the CPD hours required over the required time period. Please complete the necessary information on the Form F if you are re-distributing CPD hours.

Continuing professional development is to be recorded on Form F and should be signed by the departmental manager.

4.4 Case studies

The applicant must write two case studies as an in-depth study exercise. Choose your cases well:  ones that have challenged you, taught you something new, and are interesting or theoretically relevant.

Case Study 1 should focus on a psychosocial family issue and the way in which it was addressed by the counsellor or nurse.

Case Study 2 should focus on an ethical issue, and should demonstrate the applicant's awareness of the ethical issues surrounding genetic counselling, and the principles that underpin practice. The case should include the way in which the counsellor or nurse dealt with the ethical issue.

Please note:

More instructions for writing the case studies are included in Form G.  Remember you are using these to demonstrate your competence so it is very important that you show your use of counselling skills in the first case study and his awareness of ethical issues in case management in the second.

4.5 Patient letter 

This requirement is only for candidates for the Route C portfolio.

Each applicant will need to submit a short pieces of work to demonstrate skills and competences set by the EBMG. It is important that you do not copy material from other sources; you must put the information into your own words.   

In this piece of work, you will be asked to write a letter to a patient, explaining a specific condition. The maximum word count for the patient letter should be 500-1200 words and this should be indicated on the front page. The letter should be addressed to one of the patients presented in the ethical case study or the psychosocial case study.

4.6 Genetic science exam

This is only required for Route C candidates who are completing their portfolio.

A written multi-choice questionnaire (MCQ) examination to assess knowledge of genetic science. The examination will be conducted online and the applicant must be supervised during the examination by a senior colleague.  

Topics that may be included on the EBMG genetic counsellor science exam are listed in the download section as Form I.