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By Cory McHale, MS, CGC Certified Genetic Counselor
Interested in pursuing a career in genetic counseling? Excellent. You’ve taken the first step! To set yourself on a path toward a successful career in personalized medicine, your next task is to select the education program that best fits you. There are an increasing number of available accredited programs. A “choose your own adventure” to your career awaits! Read on for a guide to help you find your way.
Genetic counseling as a clinical service has existed for over 50 years. Awareness and access to genetic counseling has increased more recently, following advances in genetic knowledge, technology, and interventions. As you’ve likely discovered by this point in your journey, genetic counselors fill a unique role in medicine by working with individuals and families seeking to understand, manage, or circumvent components of inherited conditions and their associated psychosocial implications. Genetic counselors educate on and assess risk for genetic conditions, interpret genetic testing results, and provide support. They often collaborate with other members of a patient’s care team and act as resources for other health professionals. Employers typically hire genetic counselors to specialize in a particular area of genetics, such as prenatal, cancer, pediatrics, cardiology, or neurology. However, it’s not uncommon for one genetic counselor to practice in multiple areas. Alternatively, many genetic counselors find employment in genetic testing laboratories to act as clinical liaisons, variant specialists, and report writers. The scope of genetic counselors has also expanded to more diverse career paths such as, administration, insurance, marketing, consulting, research, and others.
Genetic counseling education programs help to create these health professionals with specialized training by providing education in genetics, counseling, and ethics. A large portion of genetic counselors’ education focuses on clinical training with a supervisor and real patients in order to obtain critical hands-on experience in the field. These components to training programs help genetic counselors best assist those seeking information to make informed medical decisions related to genetic conditions.
When selecting an education program, there are several key factors to consider. All programs must be accredited by the ACGC to ensure the genetic counseling education meets or exceeds established standards and qualifications. Each program may have slightly unique features; however, to maintain accreditation they must still be similar to each other. This is great news, because one program is not necessarily “better” than another, meaning applicants can focus on researching the unique features that align best with their individual interests, goals, and location preferences.
Some of the unique aspects to research may include:
Volunteer activities and experience in related work are also strongly considered during the application process. Seek out opportunities in community health organizations, crisis centers, research laboratories, genetic foundations, or other similar settings to help strengthen your application. Once you’ve met all the requirements and completed your research, take note of application deadlines, stay organized, and begin preparing for interviews. The interview process is for the program to learn about you as much as it is for you to learn about the program to get a feeling of the overall best fit.
The genetic counseling education program you select, along with dedication and focus (of course!), will bring you to your goal of a genetic counseling degree and set you on a path to a successful career in a growing field. Researching available programs and their unique features will help you to narrow down your list of where to apply, and the interview process will help in your decision on where to train. Think about your personal goals, interests, and what you want out of your education. Reach out to genetic counselors in your area to ask questions or inquire about shadowing opportunities. Also, remember to take time for other things you enjoy, and maybe some fresh air. Well rounded candidates are the most attractive to schools and employers. Best of luck on choosing your adventure!