Well, now that I’ve got that song stuck in your head for the rest of the day, you might be thinking you know where I’m going with this. A blog post from a genetic counselor...
I have been a genetic counselor for more than ten years. I have spoken with thousands of patients and have answered questions about a multitude of topics. Each question is important, but there are some...
When I completed graduate school, I wanted to fuel my passion for research. My first job as a genetic counselor was working for a research study that investigated the genetic basis of congenital heart defects...
The first time I ever gave any kind of real thought to the possibility of genetic landmines in my Jewish ancestry, I was in my mid-20s, not dating anyone too seriously — Jewish or otherwise...
At 24 with few (read: no) thoughts of having a baby, I decided to take CooperGenomics’s carrier screening test. A carrier screening test takes a look at your genes by way of a blood or...
As with any personal interaction, the impact of genetic counseling is a two way street. As counselors, we strive to help our patients by providing information and support. But it is not unusual for a...
We’ve spent our entire lives inside of our bodies, so we should know them pretty well, right? Despite time spent in biology classes and doctor’s offices, a lot of us don’t have the first idea...
In the genetics world, cystic fibrosis (CF) is one of the better-known inherited conditions. It's relatively common (at least in the European population) and it has its own well-established foundation, representing approximately 30,000 people with...
During a genetic counseling consultation, a patient is asked about their ethnic background. This helps us provide a more accurate risk assessment for a pregnancy to be affected with a given condition. Though everyone is...
You may have recently read one of several press articles about the nationwide shortage of genetic counselors. Some articles, like this one released by NPR, focus on the deficit of qualified professionals, while others, like...
