Genetic CounslorGenetic Counslor

What is a Genetic Counselor?What is a Genetic Counselor?

Genetic counselors are health Genetic counselors are health professionals with specialized graduate professionals with specialized graduate degrees and experience in the areas of degrees and experience in the areas of medical genetics and counseling. medical genetics and counseling.

What do they Do?What do they Do?

Genetic counselors work as members of a Genetic counselors work as members of a healthcare team, providing information and healthcare team, providing information and support to families who have members support to families who have members with birth defects or genetic disorders and with birth defects or genetic disorders and to families who may be at risk for a variety to families who may be at risk for a variety of inherited conditions. of inherited conditions.

How can they Help Families?How can they Help Families?

They identify families at risk, They identify families at risk,

investigate the problem present in the family, investigate the problem present in the family, interpret information about the disorderinterpret information about the disorder

analyze inheritance patterns and risks of analyze inheritance patterns and risks of recurrencerecurrence

review available options with the family. review available options with the family.

Cri-du-chat SyndromeCri-du-chat Syndrome“Tyler”“Tyler”

Career OpportunitiesCareer Opportunities ClinicalClinical - working with patients and families in hospitals, private - working with patients and families in hospitals, private

practice, or on a consulting basis.  practice, or on a consulting basis. 

CommercialCommercial - working with biotech companies which design, sell, - working with biotech companies which design, sell, and administer genetic tests and administer genetic tests

Diagnostic LaboratoriesDiagnostic Laboratories – working as a liaison between the – working as a liaison between the diagnostic laboratory and referring physicians and their patients diagnostic laboratory and referring physicians and their patients

Education and Public PolicyEducation and Public Policy - teaching and advising companies, - teaching and advising companies, students, and lawmakers students, and lawmakers

Research Research – working as a study coordinator for research projects – working as a study coordinator for research projects involved in genetics involved in genetics

CompensationCompensation

Average income for genetic counselors Average income for genetic counselors with a master's degree and 5-9 years with a master's degree and 5-9 years experience in 2006 was experience in 2006 was $$61,268.61,268.

Median salary for a typical genetic Median salary for a typical genetic counselor in 2008 in the United States was counselor in 2008 in the United States was $54,832$54,832