Importance of Precision Medicine in Health Careers Training

Abstract

Precision medicine (PM) is a new approach based on genomic data and the influence of environmental and lifestyle factors to generate patientspecific treatments. PM is based on the analysis of the genome to detect mutations in actionable genes and/or the application of specific pharmacogenetic tests, in order to generate specific treatments (personalized medicine), more effective, with less toxicity and safer, as opposed to conventional treatments aimed at the average patient. PM has been developed in the last two decades, mainly in the USA, Europe and recently in Asia. However, in several of these
countries, PM is still in the implementation stage, both at the level of health care providers and health insurance companies. One of the most relevant challenges is to have trained professionals with specific training for the application of diagnostic tests, their interpretation and application in the design of specific treatments and for the follow-up and care of patients. This paper analyzes a series of quantitative and qualitative studies developed in the last decade, where the importance and relevance of the formal inclusion of the teaching of precision medicine in the curricula of health careers and for the training of practicing professionals is reflected.