The ACMG encourages you to use Medical Genetics Awareness Week as your inspiration for becoming an ambassador for medical genetics and genomics in your workplace and community. With your help, we can raise awareness of the importance of genetics in medicine and inspire and encourage a new generation of healthcare professionals to seek a rewarding career that will improve health through genetics.

How Can You Be an Ambassador for Medical Genetics and Genomics?

All it takes to become an ambassador for medical genetics and genomics is a personal connection to the field. Whether you are a medical genetics healthcare professional with a passion for what you do, a nongeneticist healthcare professional who provides care for patients with genetic conditions, or a patient, caregiver or relative whose family has been affected by a genetic condition, you can be an ambassador for medical genetics and genomics. All you need to do is engage with others in your workplace and community to share your perspectives on why medical genetics and genomics is important and how the field and the caring and skilled people who work in the field have impacted your life.

On this page, you will find just a few ideas for ways you can be a champion for the field and help spread the word about medical genetics and genomics. We have also created a set of tools and resources, available in our Resource Tool Kit, that you can use to share your enthusiasm and support for medical genetics and genomics. We hope you will use these ideas and resources, or come up with ideas of your own, and join us in “Celebrating the Contributions of the Entire Medical Genetics Team to Patient Care and Public Health.”

  • Post our printable graphics in your office, clinic or lab, or take a group photo with the printed graphics to post on your social media pages—be sure to tag @TheACMG and use one of our Medical Genetics Awareness Week hashtags so we can find your posts.
  • Host an event such as an open house or tour at your lab.
  • Wear and share our Medical Genetics Awareness Week hashtag buttons—or display our Medical Genetics Awareness Week stickers—available from ACMG on request.
  • Wear and share our Medical Genetics Awareness Week hashtag buttons—or display our Medical Genetics Awareness Week stickers—available from ACMG on request —free for ACMG members.
    • Hashtag Badges Image
  • Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
  • Quiz your faculty, staff and students with “fact or fiction” questions about medical genetics and genomics science, public health programs, or clinical and laboratory services at your institution.
  • Ask your institution if you can submit something about medical genetics and genomics for your employee newsletter.
  • Engage your faculty, staff and students with educational lessons or activities focused on famous geneticists or landmark events related to genetics or genomics science, medicine or public policy.
  • Reach out to the organizers of weekly or monthly lectures, seminars, conferences or grand rounds at your institution and ask about focusing on topics in medical genetics and genomics during the week or month of Medical Genetics Awareness Week.
  • Reach out to students and trainees at your institution to engage them in medical genetics:
    • start a medical genetics journal club;
    • offer to deliver a lecture or lead a seminar for your medical or graduate schools or your graduate medical or postdoctoral training programs;
    • form an ACMG Student Interest Group.
  • Post your “Why I’m in Medical Genetics” and/or “Medical Genetics Mentorship Matters” testimonials on social media using our graphic, or create a graphic of your own for your post—be sure to tag @TheACMG and use one of our Medical Genetics Awareness Week hashtags so we can find your posts.
  • Volunteer with support groups geared toward patients and families living with genetic disorders.
  • Promote Medical Genetics Awareness Week across social media with one of our sample social media posts, or with posts of your own.
  • Download our Medical Genetics Awareness Week medallion for use on social media.
  • Like, share and retweet Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts from the ACMG and others celebrating Medical Genetics Awareness Week.
  • Reach out to local K-12 teachers and offer to talk to their classes or help them develop easy and fun experiments for students to perform in class.
  • Get creative! Tell us about all the other ways you raise awareness about medical genetics in your workplace and community by posting your efforts on social media with one of our Medical Genetics Awareness Week hashtags so we can find your posts.