Committees & Working Groups

Volunteering for Committees

Please complete the Call for Volunteers form and submit it to the CCMG Management office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by fax to 1-866-303-0626.

Current Committee List

Accreditation of Centres TOR

The CCMG accredits genetic centres for approved service delivery and training in Canada. The Accreditation of Centres Committee is responsible for maintaining accreditation guidelines, evaluating centres (including site visits as needed) and reporting on applications from genetic centres. Accreditation by the CCMG is not intended to replace laboratory accreditation by a provincial accrediting body. The CCMG strongly encourages each genetics specialty laboratory to obtain appropriate provincial accreditation which should include periodic on-site inspection.

Chairs: Dr. Karen Harrison and Dr. Paula Waters

Awards and Nominations TOR

The Awards and Nominations committee encourages and promotes volunteerism within the College by facilitating the following: selection of CCMG committee members and the CCMG Board of Directors, selection of a recipient for the annual Founders Award and John L. Hamerton Service Award, and evaluation of requests by trainees for stipends from the Linda Stevens Memorial Fund to further their training goals by travel to other centers and attendance at conferences.

Chair: Drs. Helene Bruyere & Melanie Beaulieu-Bergeron

Cancer Genetics Ad Hoc Working Group TOR

A number of bodies are involved in the delivery of Cancer Genetics across Canada. This Ad hoc Working Group initiated by The Canadian College of Medical Geneticists (CCMG) will engage a variety of professional bodies to understand the landscape of Cancer Genetics delivery and aid in the dissemination of knowledge and practice patterns to all providers of Cancer Genetics across Canada.

Chair: Dr. Raymond Kim

Clinical Practice TOR

The Clinical Practice Committee (CPC) develops and/or reviews guidelines for the practice of Clinical Genetics and Prenatal Diagnosis. The CPC liaises with the Training committee in order to maintain and develop CCMG training standards and guidelines.

Chair: Dr. Christine Armour

Credentials TOR

The Credentials Committee is responsible for issues that pertain to applications by individuals for admission to the College. They review all applications from individuals, making recommendations as to the suitability of each candidate’s background and training, before the examination process. They also liaise with the respective CCMG specialty committees (Clinical Practice, Molecular, Cytogenetics and Biochemical) in the review and subsequent implementation of training guidelines.

Chair: Dr. Mary Shago

Education, Ethics and Public Policy (E2P2) TOR

The Education, Ethics and Public Policy (E2P2) Committee supports mandates of the CCMG in matters of education, ethics and/or public policy. The Committee makes proposals to the Board of Directors (BoD), and undertakes initiatives at their request that reflect issues of the day. These activities may range in scope from matters specific to the College or its members, through outreach to students and health care professionals and work with other policy makers, to communication about medical genetics and genomics to the public-at-large.

Chair: Dr. Julie Richer

Examinations TOR

The Examinations Committee is responsible for all aspects of the written, oral and practical examinations for the laboratory specialties, including preparation, administration and grading. Members may be expected to undertake formal training in examination skills. The Committee will also act as the link to the Royal College Medical Genetics Examination Committee which administers a written and oral examination for the CCMG’s Clinical Genetics candidates. The CCMG’s Examinations Committee is responsible for informing the Clinical Genetics candidates about examination deadlines, dates, venues and results.

Chair: Dr. Kathy Chun

Exam Advisory TOR

The CCMG ad hoc Exam Reform committee was formed to provide a mechanism for improving the format for the CCMG laboratory examination. It will be responsible for recommending changes to the examination format, timing, content, frequency and evaluation. It will work closely with other committees of the CCMG, including Training, Laboratory Practice, Credentials and Examinations.

Chair: Dr. Hilary Vallance

Laboratory PracticeTOR

The Laboratory Practice Committee reviews new developments in laboratory-based genetic technologies, updates guidelines for the practice of laboratory genetic testing in Canada, and advises on appropriate standards of training for both supervisory and technical staff of genetic laboratories that provide clinical service within Canada. This includes directors, technologists and other ranks directly involved in clinical laboratory processes. The committee also responds to other laboratory-related issues at the request of the Board.

Brochure - PDF

Chair: Dr. Jim Stavropoulos

Metabolics TOR

The Metabolics Committee provides a forum for discussion of issues relevant to the education and practice of Laboratory and Clinical Biochemical Genetics.

Chair: Dr. Daniela Buhas

PEACE-Train TOR

This committee fosters dialogue between Program Directors and Chairs of CCMG Committees: Education, Accreditation of Centres, Credentials, and Examinations. Its membership is entirely ex officio.

Chair: Dr. Gail Graham

Policy and Bylaws TOR

This committee will advise the College/Board of Directors on matters of interpretation or revision of By-laws and ensure that policies are consistent with current By-laws. The committee will also advise on the need for new policies and develop or revise policies at the request of the Board of Directors.

Chair: Dr. Gail Graham

Scientific Program TOR

The Scientific Program Committee is responsible for arranging the scientific programs for the CCMG annual meeting.

Chair: Dr. Margaret Nowaczyk

Training Committee TOR

The Training Committee develops and maintains training guidelines that meet the needs of the Trainee, the Training Centres, and the CCMG Credentials, Clinical Practice and Laboratory Practice Committees. The Training Committee will aid in developing tools for training.

Chair: Dr. Suzanne Demczuk

Training Advisory Ad Hoc Committee

The Ad Hoc Training Advisory Committee will review the training program streams and advise the appropriate committees or BOD. The committee has a broad mandate that not only takes into account the matter of coordination and recognition of the new ABMGG Laboratory Genetics and Genomics stream, but also to look at how the CCMG should structure our training programs to align with changing diagnostic practice and the core competencies required across the areas of cytogenetics, molecular genetics, cancer genetics and genomics. While the focus of this committee should be to come up with a set of recommendations of how to best prepare our laboratory genetics trainees for the new landscape of practice, the committee could also consider the creation of training modules for other specialists (such as pathologists, obstetricians, oncologists etc) to attain necessary and relevant genomic/genetic competencies to appropriately use genomic approaches in patient management.

Chair: Dr. Judy Chernos

Local CCMG Fellowship Committee TOR

The local CCMG Fellowship Committees are responsible for all aspects of CCMG training in each accredited training site.

Chair: