#nsgc

[scotianostra]

Good Morning from Scotland 

Sunrise at the Cherry Blossom tree. by Mark Mckie

[thetwistedhelix]

Interested in reading perspectives or experiences of genetic counselors - check out the National Society of Genetic Counselors blog!

[thetwistedhelix]

A great post explaining genetic counseling as seen from the patient perspective. It’s quick read that will give you more insight into the profession. 

[thetwistedhelix]

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.

[markwleach]

Fact sheet for the Down Syndrome Information Act

Fact sheet for the Down Syndrome Information Act

Pennsylvania Governor Corbett & Chloe Kondrich

In 2014, five states passed the Down Syndrome Information Act. More states are considering enacting it in 2015. A new resource is now available to help states implement the law consistent with professional guidelines. (more…)

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[myriadgenetics]

Meet the NSGC student interns!

For the past few years, Myriad has partnered with NSGC to host three genetic counseling student interns during the summer. The positive feedback resulting from that program inspired us to expand the program this year to include a student from each of the training programs in the United States.  We were thrilled this summer to host 28 students from across the country for a 2 day workshop designed to introduce them to Myriad, allow them to experience a day in the life of a molecular diagnostic lab, and to expose them to the many roles genetic counselors play within the field of hereditary cancer genetic testing.  We’d like to introduce you to two of these outstanding students, who will shortly join the ranks of our profession!

John Abernethy, University of South Carolina

 I am a second-year genetic counseling student at the University of South Carolina and was recently selected by my program to attend one of Myriad's 2-day workshops during the summer of 2012. Part of the reason why I was so eager to attend the workshop is because of my background - I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.S. in Biology, then spent the next four years working as a molecular biology laboratory technician at UNC under Dr. Lillie L. Searles. This background has given me unique insight quite often as I have progressed through my training to be a genetic counselor so far, as not all of my fellow students have had the opportunity to be involved directly with a lab. I was looking forward to the workshop with Myriad primarily to see what goes on "behind the scenes" of one of the country's largest commercial testing labs for this reason, but what I was left with was a profound sense of the various roles that genetic counselors can play at such a company. Myriad really impressed upon me the variety of positions that the genetic counselors employed take; I was struck by how much they valued their genetic counselors and encouraged them to take non-traditional roles. In addition to the typical counseling role (Myriad calls this the "Professional Support Specialist" role), you can find genetic counselors in research, marketing and sales, just to name a few. Overall, I was impressed with how much everyone I spoke with seemed to enjoy working at Myriad; the positive "patient-first" workplace environment certainly appears to play a big role. I heartily enjoyed my experience visiting Myriad and greatly appreciate the opportunity to do so.

--Michelle Landon, MS, CGC Associate Product Manager

[myriadgenetics]

Meet the NSGC Student Interns!

For the past few years, Myriad has partnered with NSGC to host three genetic counseling student interns during the summer. The positive feedback resulting from that program inspired us to expand the program this year to include a student from each of the training programs in the United States.  We were thrilled this summer to host 28 students from across the country for a 2 day workshop designed to introduce them to Myriad, allow them to experience a day in the life of a molecular diagnostic lab, and to expose them to the many roles genetic counselors play within the field of hereditary cancer genetic testing.  We’d like to introduce you to two of these outstanding students, who will shortly join the ranks of our profession!

Susana San Roman, University of Colorado, Denver

My name is Susana San Roman and I am a second-year genetic counseling graduate student at University of Colorado Denver. I am originally from Mexico City, but decided to move to the United States to complete my education. I obtained my B.A. in Biochemistry at Washington University in St. Louis in 2009, and then worked for two years at Washington University School of Medicine doing research on targeted therapies for breast cancer. My passion for the application and communication of scientific knowledge to help others drove me to pursue a career in genetic counseling.

I had the pleasure to be part of the Student Internship at Myriad this summer on behalf of my graduate program. Learning about the roles that genetic counselors have at Myriad, and seeing them in action, was eye-opening.  I was excited to see how the skills I have acquired in school and clinic transfer to an industry setting. I found the corporate culture at Myriad to be innovative, collaborative, diverse, and client-centered. My experience at Myriad was special because it tied my laboratory background, my current graduate work, and my passion to help others together.

--Michelle Landon, MS, CGC Associate Product Manager