In about two months, we are gathering again in Quebec to celebrate the first 50 years of our organization. To call these first half a century of the CCMG existence transformational is an understatement. I am subjective, but I don’t have a better example of a field of medicine hinted at since the times of Herodotus that had such a series of ground-breaking revolutions in such a short period of time. It took humanity longer from launching a flying machine in the sky to the first step on the Moon than from the discovery of DNA to the completion of the Human Genome project. And while the space Odyssey fascinates our co-travelers in this world today as the journey of Artemis II unfolds, the revolutionary progress in genetics is arguably much more impactful for humanity as it continues to revolutionize the medicine of the 21^st century from the prenatal diagnoses to newborn screens, to pharmacogenomics, to gene therapy.  Every discipline in medicine attends to patients with genetic disorders, and over time not only the number of rare diseases will continue to grow but so will our understanding of common disorders through the genetic lens. And the DNA will gain more recognition as the most fundamental determinant of health.

I truly believe that to fuel this progress, to stay current and relevant, CCMG must harmonize with the international genetics community, as the problems we face in genetic and genomic medicine in Canada spring primarily from our shared humanity as a species and social beings, and secondarily because of our regional differences.

In June, in Montreal, our trainees will sit the last of the “traditional” CCMG exams. As we step into the second half of our century, the new exam reform will be trialed for the first time in 2028. Many thanks to Dr. Stacey Hume and Dr. David Sinasac who are leading the exam committees through this change! Best of success to all our young colleagues to be!

As I finish my service, I wish wisdom, patience and resilience to the upcoming president, Dr. Ron Agatep and the renewed Board!
Thank you for the honor to represent you for the past couple of years! As for myself, if I may cite “the most senior and respected human and medical geneticist in our nation”, Dr. Clark Fraser, I wish to be remembered as someone who “tried to be good”.

Oana Caluseriu
CCMG-CCGM President

The assessment and accreditation of CCMG training centers is performed by the Accreditation of Centres (AoC) Committee. The AoC committee comprises CCMG members from each specialty, the board and the credentials committee.  Although some program requirements and assessment tools exist, there are currently no clear, objective standards for centres to follow or consistent metrics to determine whether criteria are being met. While an ideal system of assessment of centres might involve a fully external organization performing the evaluations, implementing such a system is impractical for an organization of our size.  To increase transparency, objectivity, and consistency across all training centres, the board requested the development of formal Accreditation Standards and a transparent and objective assessment process.

In 2023, a working group was established to develop these Standards for the Accreditation of Training Centres, and to create an objective and transparent evaluation process.  These Standards will guide the AoC Committee in assessing centres and help programs ensure they have appropriate governance structure, robust educational curriculum, and supportive environments that promote trainee development and continuous program improvement.

Led by Drs Karen Bedard and Lindsay Brown, the working group includes representative from each discipline, past or current members of training, credentialling, and exams committees, and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Clinical Biochemistry (who have similar interests). Modeled on standards documents for other medical fields, the document is organized into 3 domains: Governance, Education, and Training Environment – each containing defined standards and specific requirements.  A first draft of these Standards was circulated to the board in 2025 and is undergoing revision.  The working group is also developing self-survey tools for centres and assessment tools for the AoC Committee, as well as a CCMG AoC Policy Manual.

The goal of these Standards is to strengthen CCMG training programs and ensures a fair, transparent and consistent accreditation process.

Working Group:
Karen Bedard, Lindsay Brown, Tracy Tucker, Flechere Fortin, Michelle Axford, Jessie Cameron,  Vilte Barakauskas, Lijia Huang,  Tony Rupar, David Sinisac,  Eric Diehl

The Education, Ethics and Public Policy Committee (E2P2) is creating a formal Taskforce to develop the CCMG’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) program. Some of you have already been involved in preliminary discussions, but we are currently seeking up to 9 additional members who could be formally part of this group, including a Taskforce Lead. Please submit your interest to the CCMG office () and include any relevant experience or training in EDI.

Would you like to get involved and enjoy social media? We are looking for a few volunteers with experience and interest in improving the CCMG-CCGM’s online profile through our LinkedIn platform and Instagram.

If you would like to learn more about this opportunity, please send us an email at .

The Credentials committee has credentialed 30 trainees for the upcoming exams!
These include: 

• 3 clinical genetics
• 12 clinical biochemical genetics
• 1 laboratory biochemical genetics
• 2 molecular genetics (2nd specialty)
• 12 GGD

Committee members include:
Michelle Axford and Gany Tchakarska (co-chairs), Marisa Chard, Michael Volodarsky, Melanie Bedford, Kate Blood, Melanie Beaulieu Bergeron, Hong Wang, Tamas Revay, Libin Yuan, Afia Hasnain, Joyce So.

This busy committee is also currently reviewing applications for training credit, and a new trainee application.

Following interest from current and past GGD trainees, the Trainee Community of Practice (CoP) will be re-instated. The purpose of the Trainee CoP is the following:
1. To provide a community for GGD trainees across Canada to discuss issues, network with future colleagues, and celebrate successes,
2. To disseminate resources and share learning opportunities,
3. To aid trainees in meeting competencies in the GGD program learning objectives,
4. To prepare trainees and board-eligible individuals for the CCMG GGD board exam,
5. To provide a point-of-contact between CCMG committees and trainees, and
6. To maintain an up-to-date listserv of current trainees.

We are looking for a CCMG full-member (either dual-certified or certified in either Molecular or Cytogenetics) to Chair the Trainee CoP; responsibilities will include providing a yearly report of activities, reviewing memberships, and acting as a point-of-contact between trainees and CCMG. The current trainee designee will assist with these responsibilities.

Current trainees and individuals planning to write in the upcoming exam cycle are also encouraged to join for helpful study sessions and support. Sessions will be targeted towards the GGD learning objectives, but all trainees are welcome to join.

Please email Dr. Francesca Jean at if interested in acting as Chair or joining the group, or if you have any inquiries.