What is a Genetic Counselor???

A Genetic Counselor is a person who is in the heath profession and has experience in genetics and counseling. They give information and support to families who have members with genetic diseases.

The Official Definition according to the NSGC is-

Genetic counseling is the process of helping people understand and adapt to the medical, psychological and familial implications of genetic contributions to disease. This process integrates:
Interpretation of family and medical histories to assess the chance of disease occurrence or recurrence.
Education about inheritance, testing, management, prevention, resources and research.
Counseling to promote informed choices and adaptation to the risk or condition.

National Society of Genetic Counselors, 2005

Education

• Genetic counselors usually have at least a Master's degree from one of the United States graduate programs. They must learn skills such as ethics, genetics, and counseling. For a list of genetic counceling training programs, visit http://www.nsgc.org/career/trainingprogram.cfm.

Job Details

Clinical - working with patients and families in hospitals, private practice, or on a consulting basis. Genetic counselors may specialize in genetic counseling in the prenatal, pediatric, cancer-risk, adult, cardiovascular, hematology, neurogenetics setting.
Commercial - working with biotech companies which design, sell, and administer genetic tests
Diagnostic Laboratories – working as a liaison between the diagnostic laboratory and referring physicians and their patients
Education and Public Policy - teaching and advising companies, students, and lawmakers
Research – working as a study coordinator for research projects involved in genetics

Sources:
Carey, Meghan E. "Genetic Counseling." Genetic Counseling. 29 Sep. 2008. Human Genome Project. 4 Mar. 2009 <http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/medicine/genecounseling.shtml>.

"Genetic Counseling as a Profession." Genetic Counseling as a Profession. 1 2005. National Society of Genetic Counselors. 4 Mar. 2009 <http://www.nsgc.org/about/definition.cfm>.

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