As people’s awareness of issues for rare disease increases, people’s needs and concern for genetic counseling increases as well.  However, average medical personnel, specialists serving rare disease patients or patient groups do not have a complete understanding about how to provide the necessary services to rare disease patients.  In order to improve the services for rare disease patients and to strengthen the cooperation among different professional arenas, ongoing education for related professional personnel and patient groups is necessary. 

TFRD has organized training courses for medical personnel and patient groups. After the first “Training Program for Genetic Counselors” was held in 2000, TFRD held a seminar for social workers of rare diseases in 2002, and had kept holding training courses for patient groups on a continuing basis ever since. In 2008, TFRD arranged courses for cadre members of patient groups to help them networking different resources.  Courses ( introduction to long-term care resources, application of foreign helpers, case management, use of certain medical
equipments) for the direct service providers were also available. Special courses were disigned for patient groups in central and southern Taiwan as well.  In 2008, 10 different courses were provided.