Genetic Counseling

Is genetic counseling the career for you? It may be, if you love genetics and working with patients. Our understanding of genetic disorders is increasing, leading to the development of new genetic tests and the need for more genetic counselors. People visit a genetic counselor when they are considering genetic testing. There are many reasons to have genetic testing done. A patient may want to know if they have a genetic condition or predisposition, such as Huntington's disease or the breast cancer gene. A couple may want to know if they are carriers of a genetic disease that could be passed on to their children. These are just a couple of the life altering issues that genetic counselors help patients to address.

The role of the genetic counselor is two-fold. First, it is the responsibility of the counselor to educate the patient about the genetic disease and the genetic test, including the effect that the disease will have on their lives and the likelihood that the patient will test positive. This enables the patient to make an informed decision about genetic testing. Second, the counselor must support the patient emotionally both in making the decision to get tested and in learning the results, which can often be a very painful process. To be a genetic counselor, it is critical to be both a good educators, who can help patients understand complex subject matter, and a compassionate person, who can provide a shoulder to cry on.

Becoming a genetic counselor requires earning a masters degree from an accredited institution and passing a certification exam. Most masters programs are two years long and are only available on a full time basis, due to the clinical training component of the program.
A common complaint amongst genetic counselors is of a ceiling that is reached after only a few years, both in terms of salary and opportunity for career advancement. However, many genetic counselors find there career deeply rewarding. For more information about this exciting and rapidly evolving career field, visit the websites of the American Board of Genetic Counseling and the National Association of Genetic Counselors.