MbShea@PWP@English@UMCP

ABSTRACT: Genetic counseling is a new and rapidly emerging field as biotechnology and personalized medicine become more prevalent. However, not many college students seem to know about this exciting new career, and even HPAO cannot help me with the admissions process. Therefore, I am writing a ‘stack of documents’ to help educate college students (including myself) more about the career and the graduate school admissions process. I include a brief history of the profession, and also current statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics about where genetic counselors work, and how much they get paid today. Then, I go into more about what they do, including a few case studies and how genetic counselors responded. I also talk about the admissions process, and how to apply to 2-year Genetic Counseling Masters Programs. I give the perspectives of current genetic counseling students (both in their first and second years, from 3 different schools) about how they ended up in the program where they are, and what their day-to-day graduate school experience is like. I end with their saying how rewarding and fulfilled they feel as rising Genetic Counselors.

READER’S PROFILE: I have heard people (my mother) say that genetic counselors are not as important as doctors, as they do not “heal people, they rather “just relay bad information.”

READER’S RESPONSE: Doctor’s are not trained in the same way, or as extensively, as genetic counselors are to analyze complicated genetic information. In fact, according to one of the graduate students, doctors often confer with genetic counselors on patients’ genetic test results. Moreover, psychosocial support is also an important part of healthcare. Many patients have told the graduate student clinicians that their support helped them navigate difficult decisions regarding their health, and have even “touched their lives.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the profession is expected to grow by 28% (much faster than average) in the next ten years, and with good reason; there needs to be people to keep abreast of genetic advancements and be able to interpret and relay patient results as biotechnology and the field of genetics evolves.

Well scoped out, S. I am so glad you are writing this document. I hope you will share with the pre health office.

And, you can speak confidently about your emerging career choice to a number of inquisitive audiences. :)