Roadmap to a career in cardiogenetics

Ground-breaking discoveries in the human genome along with advances in Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies made the study of inherited cardiovascular conditions (ICC) more powerful than ever.The increased availability of genetic testing potentiates the opportunity of early detection of ICC, enabling a multidisciplinary genetic team to provide timely care to patients and families.Additionally, recent advances in gene modulation through sophisticated techniques set the stage for a new era in therapeutics and translatability from bench-to-bedside.Although the benefits of cardiogenetics are evident, most fellows receive scarce exposure nor acquisition of tools to assess risk potential of such diseases. 1spite the absence of a standardized training curriculum, multiple pathways to a career in cardiogenetics coexist (Fig. 1). 2 The heterogeneity and complexity of ICC demands acquaintance in diverse areas of cardiology, including arrythmias, heart failure, cardiovascular imaging (echocardiography, CT, MRI), preventive cardiology, and pediatric cardiovascular medicine. 3Essential competencies for clinical practice, such as, interpretation of genetic test results and polygenic risk scores, genotype-phenotype correlations, construction of pedigrees, and familiarity with types of counseling (pretest and posttest) constitute core elements for a successful career in cardiogenetics. 3,4,5To achieve this depth of expertise, combining balanced exposure of genetic principles with "hands-on" experience is recommended, to integrate genetic knowledge to day-to-day cases.The acquisition of genetic competencies can occur through seminars or workshops provided by experts to enhance understanding of basic genetic concepts and their application to practice, including: a) introduction to genetics and genomics, b) introduction to