Students will take a clinical practicum course every semester throughout the program: CMM 594 Clinical Practicum. Students will take CMM 594 for two credit hours in the Fall and Spring semesters of their first year, four credit hours over the Summer term between their first and second year, and four credit hours in the Fall and Spring semesters of their second year. During the course of their training, students will need to acquire a minimum of 50 participatory cases. The Clinical Coordinator monitors student logbooks closely to ensure that students are obtaining an adequate number of core cases.

Rotations will take place in clinics in Tucson and Phoenix. Students are responsible for their own transportation to clinics. Whenever possible, the Program Administration will position clinics in Phoenix (about a two-hour drive) to allow ride-sharing among students. First-year rotations last five weeks and second-year rotations last eight weeks. Most first-year rotations are one day per week and second-year rotations are two days per week.

Summer Rotations

Summer rotations are an opportunity for students to focus on practical, hands-on work in a genetics clinic, industry, laboratory or other settings. The UAGCGP will help identify rotation options for student summer rotations and assist the student in making sure that the appropriate administrative requirements are in place.

Students will be required to enroll in four credits of CMM 594 over the ten-week summer term. Most summer rotations will consist of 25 days in a single summer rotation. Students will schedule time in summer rotations directly with their summer rotation supervisors, and have a reasonable amount of flexibility with scheduling, as long as they meet the requirement of 25 days. Prior approval from the Clinical Coordinator is required if students need to participate in more than one rotation during the summer to meet the requirements, or if they will deviate from the 25 required days in their rotation.