The Brief History of Genetic Counseling
Or, “Why have I never heard of this before?”
Don’t worry: the first time I ever heard of genetic counseling was in the Spring semester of my Junior year of college. Even then, this first reference was only a passing mention at the end of a lecture.
The term "genetic counseling" was first coined in the mid-1950s. However, the first class of genetic counselors didn't graduate from Sarah Lawrence College until 1971, nearly 2 decades later. In 1979, the National Society of Genetic Counselors was founded, and it is currently the largest association of genetic counselors in the world. The American Board of Genetic Counselors was only incorporated in 1993. The ABGC is responsible for accrediting programs and professionals both in the United States and Canada. As far as programs are concerned, there are 31 programs in the United States (and only 4 in Canada), the newest being Ohio State University which does not yet have a graduating class.
According to the ABGC, there are now over 3,500 certified genetic counselors. As of 2014, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there are 2,100 practicing genetic counselors. BLS statistics show that only about half U.S. states have any genetic counselors.
Image from The Bureau of Labor Statistics
Given how emergent the field remains, it's unsurprising that many people are still unaware of the profession. However, this is one of the reasons I find the field so interesting. It's still new and growing and every counselor has the opportunity to shape the field as it continues to expand. And it will continue to expand. As research identifies genes and links them to the causes of disease and as medicine leans toward personalized treatment, genetic counseling will only continue to become more important.
