Course Enrollment: ME-304 Genetics and Medical Family History

Optional Print Course Material: Genetics and Medical Family History

*Course materials will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

This course (formerly titled Genetics and Genealogy) is designed to introduce the genealogist to a different way of seeing family tree research — as a source of genetic information. It can be fun to track that characteristic chin through the family, or even lifesaving to document ancestors and cousins with diabetes or cancer. The course will cover a bit on traits (i.e. genes), pedigree drawing and describing relationships, recognizing simple hereditary patterns and the reason they occur, basic rules for ethically assembling a medical pedigree, and common sources used to uncover physical traits. Upon completing the course, the student should be able to gather and evaluate basic genealogical sources, have some knowledge of what traits are and how they are inherited, and draw a simple medical pedigree to show a physician.