Perspectives
Samantha Betterman (she/her)
I was lucky to know I wanted to be a genetic counselor (GC) when I was in high school. I had ample opportunities to learn about this profession; I attended an undergraduate institution with an established pre-genetic counseling club and a genetic counseling program. Continue reading.
Timbria Burke (she/her)
As a Black first-year genetic counseling student, I am constantly delving into articles and papers for my coursework. Repeatedly encountering demographic information that categorizes participants as "Black/African American" in the "Race/Ethnicity" sections has become a source of frustration for me. Continue reading.
Katherine Anderson (she/her)
There has been a recent resurgence of discourse surrounding changing the name “genetic counselor,” including a debate at the NSGC 42nd Annual Conference, and subsequent posts from community members (Cohen, 2023; McGruder, 2023; Resta, 2023). Continue reading.
Journal of Genetic Counseling
Erin Griffin, Gillian Hooker, Matthew Grace, Kimberly Kaphingst, Digna Velez Edwards, Zhiguo Zhao, Jill Slamon
Non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) using cell-free DNA is a screening test for fetal aneuploidy offered by a variety of prenatal healthcare providers. Guidelines for genetic screening consistently recommend that providers facilitate informed choices, which have been associated with better psychological and clinical outcomes than uninformed choices. Continue reading.
Tinsley Claire Douglas, Caitlyn May, Karin Dent, John C. Carey, Janessa Mladucky
Difficult news has been described as any news that adversely and seriously affects an individual's view of their future. Research in oncology genetic counseling demonstrated that individuals do not prefer in-person or telephone delivery of their genetic test results. Continue reading.
Lisa Jay Kessler, Laura J. Conway, Rosaria Love, Kathleen D. Valverde
The genetic counseling profession has attempted to enhance the diversity of its workforce since its inception but does not yet reflect the demographics of the United States. One barrier to entry into genetic counseling programs may be the ability to gain exposure to the profession prior to applying for entry. Continue reading.