Traveling Short Course - Survival Skills for the 21st Century: How to Shape Your Future as a Genetic Counselor

April 11-12, 2008
Hilton Orange County
Costa Mesa, California

Click on the links below to be taken to the specific sections.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Saturday, April 12, 2008

We anticipate approval of up to 10 contact hours or 1 CEU for the Traveling Short Course.

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Session Objectives

After attending the Traveling Short Course, participants will be able to:

• Create and execute a strategic plan for their program and/or career path.
• Utilize planning, negotiation and project management skills to increase productivity and success.
• Apply vision and leadership for a more fulfilling professional and personal experience as a genetic counselor.

NSGC 2008 Traveling Short Course Session Listings & Learning Objectives

Following Your Passion
After attending this session, participants will be able to:

1. Recognize the aspects of participants’ profession that they are passionate about.
2. Generate ideas about how to focus on those aspects and build their work around them.
3. Discuss how to maintain this focus on a daily basis to enhance their career.

Flexibility – How to Adapt to Yourself and the Institution
After attending this session, participants will be able to:

1. Demonstrate various methods of inter- and intra-personal flexibility techniques to maximize teamwork.
2. Identify common personality strengths and weaknesses that encourage and inhibit flexibility.
3. Through case examples, review applicable scenarios that illustrate use of flexibility in conflict resolution

On the Management Track: Leadership Development

1. Participants will identify their own leadership strengths and weaknesses.
2. Participants will explore multiple approaches to the development of leadership and management skills to allow participants to select techniques and interventions that are consistent with their style and preferences.
3. Participants will be challenged to identify small projects to test their leadership and management skills, including research of the issue, crafting of the goals and objectives, development of a project plan and a plan to measure success.

How to Get the Most out of Your Annual Review
After attending this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the components of a productive performance review.
2. Formulate a plan to enhance her/his next performance review.

Handling Conflict with Poise
After attending this session, participants will be able to:

1. Recognize five different styles of conflict resolution.
2. Identify their personal style of conflict resolution as well as the styles they may have difficulty working with.
3. Create a set of tools that may be helpful when a handling a conflict that arises in the workplace.

Leveraging Genetic Counseling Skills for Nontraditional Roles
After attending this session, participants will be able to:

1. Recognize the applicability of genetic counseling skills in other roles.
2. Identify specific genetic counseling skills and attributes and how they can be utilized successfully in other roles.
3. Apply what has been learned to each participant’s own career.

Finding a Career vs. Taking a Job
After attending this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify key elements of personal satisfaction regarding career direction.
2. Define various motivations and processes for making decisions affecting career planning.
3. Recognize skills and talents inherent to achieving career satisfaction

Negotiating Your Way to Success
After attending this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe what would make their job personally and professionally satisfying and identify what aspects of their current job are in need on negotiation to meet these satisfaction standards.
2. Gather the appropriate tools necessary to prepare for a negotiation with their superiors.
3. Communicate effectively with supervisors in the negotiation process.

Yoga in the Workplace/Balancing Work and Life
After attending this session, participants will be able to:

1. Recognize tendencies that inhibit balance and learn behavior modifications to restore & refresh.
2. Identify the benefits, both physical and mental, of yoga at home and/or in the workplace.
3. Empower you to have balance in your life by utilizing the resources and tools available.

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Registration Rates and Information

Registration includes access to all sessions and conference proceedings, lunch and break beverages on Friday, continental breakfast and and break beverages on Saturday. CEU’s for the meeting must be purchased separately.

Registration Classes and Fees

To register online, click here. Registrations must be received or postmarked by March 21, 2008. Following March 21, individuals interested in registering should do so on-site in Orange County.

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Hotel and Travel Information

Location

This event will be held at The Hilton Orange County in Costa Mesa, CA. The Hilton Costa Mesa is perfectly situated to the south of Los Angeles and to the north of San Diego, right in the heart of Orange County. Located only five minutes from John Wayne/Orange County Airport and less than two blocks from South Coast Plaza Shopping Resort. Southern California's most popular attractions such as Disneyland, famous beaches, and theatre are just minutes away. Click here to learn more about Costa Mesa!

Housing Reservations

Rooms have been arranged at The Hilton Orange County for a discounted rate of $129 single/double per night (plus tax) and $20 per additional person after two people. Rooms are available at the discounted rate until March 20, 2008 or until the NSGC block sells out, whichever comes first. Rooms reserved after this date are subject to rate and availability.

You may make your hotel room reservations in one of two ways:

1. Click here to make your hotel room reservations online. Group rates are not available through the Hilton website or any other discount websites. You must connect through the NSGC website to get the group rate.
2. Call the hotel directly at 714-540-7000. You must reference National Society of Genetic Counselors to receive the group rate.

Check-in is at 3:00 PM, and check-out is at 12:00 PM.

Group Airline & Car Rental Discounts

NSGC has partnered with Apollo Travel to provide all attendees of the Traveling Short Course with discounted air and car rental reservations. All prices quoted will include your meeting’s negotiated discount. The earlier you book, the bigger the discount!

Click here for online reservations.

Phone reservations are accepted Monday-Friday, 7am – 7pm (CST) by calling 1-866-880-6483.

Email Reservations may be made by emailing travel@travelapollo.com.

Ground Transportation

There are several airports that service the Costa Mesa area.

Parking

Onsite self-parking is $16 per day and valet parking is $21 per day.

Driving Directions

Click here for driving directions to The Hilton Orange County.

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