Add’l details here: https://www.illinoisgenetics.org/GC-workshop
maps & genes
sounding board for prospective & current genetic counseling students.
Brigham and Women’s Genetic Counseling Career Day
It’s summa time! Meaning, a great time to sneak in some GC Career Counseling Days and learn more about the field.
Register here for Brigham and Women’s Genetic Counseling Career Day:
https://gccareerdayjune2018.eventbrite.com
Prospective Genetic Counselor Day (Remote too!)
It’s that time of year again! (For me to plug GeneDx’s Prospective Genetic Counselor Day)
Are you interested in a career in Genetic Counseling?
Consider attending the Prospective GC info session on April 27, 2018
RSVP: Meg Bradbury, MS, CGC, MSHS (mbradbury@genedx.com) by April 20, 2018
Not onsite? Join in remotely by video conference.
For further information please contact mbradbury@genedx.com
Genetic Counseling Case Series – Online series for prospective genetic counseling students
Speaking of resume boosters… here’s an opportunity for individuals looking for more exposure to the field of genetic counseling before applying to graduate school:
The Genetic Counseling Program of the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center offers several online courses for genetic counselors and prospective students. The newest course, Genetic Counseling Case Series, provides an introduction to the genetic counseling profession through clinical and laboratory case examples. This would be a great option for prospective genetic counseling students who are looking to get more exposure to the field.
The course includes adult, cancer, laboratory, pediatric, preconception, and prenatal case presentations that can be accessed on demand from work or home at any time of day or night. Goals of the course include:
- Introduce students to the genetic counseling profession through case examples
- Describe the role of genetic counselors in healthcare and the major aspects of a genetic counseling session
- Familiarize students with medical, genetic, and psychosocial issues that can present in genetic counseling cases.
More information on their online courses can be found here
Additional info:
- Cost: $95
- Hours of content: 5.3
- NOT AVAILABLE FOR CEUs
Job Opportunity – Genetic Counseling Assistant (GCA)
Genetic Counseling Assistant (GCA) positions are a great introduction to the field and a wonderful way to gain experience before applying to graduate school.
GCA positions are popping up more frequently. Some prospective students may wish to inquire whether there is a position available at a local genetic counseling facility, or even whether the facility would be willing to create a position.
Great job opportunity for those in the Maryland/DC area or those able to relocate. See details below.
To apply, head over to https://www.genedx.com/jobopenings/.
| Job Description | GeneDx is a rapidly growing CAP and CLIA certified diagnostic genetic testing laboratory for molecular genetics.Our historic mission has been to make clinical diagnostic testing available for people with genetic conditions and their families. We apply cutting edge technologies that provide a wide array of molecular genetic diagnostic tests,including whole exome sequencing and next-generation sequencing panels. We specialize in genetic testing for rare hereditary disorders, but also test for common disorders. To learn more about GeneDx, please visit our website at http://www.genedx.com.
Responsibilities for the GC Assistant will include: • Basic client services (follow-up phone calls, requesting information or repeat specimens, arranging shipping of specimen kits) A successful candidate must be able to work in a fast-paced office environment, be exceptionally attentive to detail, be able to multitask and manage priorities while meeting deadlines. Other qualifications: Benefits: • 401K retirement savings plan with a company match • Flexible Spending Account Tuition Assistance, Employee Discounts Paid Time Off Regular performance appraisals, merit increases • Work with a company of talented professionals dedicated to making GeneDx shine! • Supportive company structure- promoted 100 employees in the last year • Business casual environment, dog friendly GeneDx is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and Equal Employment Opportunity Employer |
To learn how some facilities are implementing GCAs, see the following literature:
- Trepanier, A. M., Cohen, S. A., & Allain, D. C. (2015). Thinking Differently About Genetic Counseling Service Delivery. Current Genetic Medicine Reports, 3(2), 49-56. doi:10.1007/s40142-015-0069-7
- Rahm, A. K., Sukhanova, A., Ellis, J., & Mouchawar, J. (2007). Increasing Utilization of Cancer Genetic Counseling Services Using a Patient Navigator Model. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 16(2), 171-177. doi:10.1007/s10897-006-9051-6
- Presented Abstract from the Thirty Fifth Annual Education Conference of the National Society of Genetic Counselors (Seattle, WA, September 2016): The genetic counseling assistant: Dana-Farber’s experience in establishing a new role
- Concurrent Paper for GC Professional Roles from the Thirty Third Annual Education Conference of the National Society of Genetic Counselors (New Orleans, LA, September 2014): The Genetic Counseling Assistant: Is Our Profession Ready for Multiple Career Levels?
- Robinson1, B. Crawford2, S. Pirzadeh-Miller1, P. Read3, S. Pass1
- Simmons Cancer Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
- Cancer Risk Program, University of California San Francisco
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
- Presented Abstracts from the Thirty Fifth Annual Education Conference of the National Society of Genetic Counselors (Seattle, WA, September 2016): Finding the right mix: Optimizing the utilization of the genetic counseling skill set
- P. Read1, M. Marvin1, B. Yashar1, L. Robinson2
- 1. University of Michigan
- 2. UT Southwestern Medical Center
How to Build a Resume and Cover Letter for your First Genetic Counseling Position
Did you all tune into the Student/New Member SIG Webinar on November 29th?
Cindy Soliday (Kaiser HR hiring manager for GCs) & MaryAnn Campion, MS, CGC (co-director of Stanford program) discussed how to obtain your first GC position. And while I coudn’t stay on the line for the entire lecture, I jotted down some notes on resume and cover letters.
Quick Notes on Resumes:
- Keep it short (1-2 pages)
- Use simple, obvious formatting
- Use the formatting to draw attention to your key points; don’t bury them
- Include (1) personal contact information (2) education (3) experience (clinical placements, relevant work experience, relevant volunteer work) (3) professional organizations (4) awards (5) special skills (bilingual, etc.) (6) major publications and presentations
- Indicating “References available upon request” is OK
- However, choose your references wisely and always ask your references in advance
- Prep your references and give them a heads-up as to which jobs you’re applying for
- Ensure your resume is TARGETED to the specific job; create multiple versions of your resume that are tailored to each job opportunity
- Absolutely no excuse for typos! Have multiple people proof read
- Tips:
- Keep one long continuous (all-purpose) resume/CV saved, then cull the long version for specific jobs/opportunities
- Turn resumes into PDFs before submitting so they remain visually appealing. Otherwise, formatting may get messy depending on how it’s saved into the system.
Quick Notes on Cover Letters:
- Intended to introduce and complement your resume/CV (should NOT be a repetition of your resume)
- 1 page, simple, NO TYPOS
- Address the letter to the specific hiring person or company
- Explain why you are writing
- Main body should list major accomplishments or experience; convince the employer to interview you
- Tailor the letter to the position
- Emphasize your specific career goals at this position
- Encourage the employer to contact you in the last paragraph
My understanding is that the presentation slides will eventually be posted on the SIG board. If you’re not already a member, consider joining. The rest of the webinar provides information regarding job searching, salary and benefit negotiation techniques, and
examining what HR hiring managers and lead genetic counselors are looking for in an applicant.
Happy job searching!
Happy Genetic Counselor Awareness Day!
Today, November 9th, is genetic counselor awareness day! Take a minute to learn about what a genetic counselor does. Check out this blog and https://www.nsgc.org/ for more information about genetic counseling.
Check out the video from the National Society of Genetic Counselors:
“A Day in the Life of a Genetic Counselor” Webinar on 11/19/17
Are you interested in a career in genetic counseling? Are you preparing to apply to genetic counseling programs? Curious to learn what different roles a genetic counselor may have day-to-day?
Check out our webinar sponsored by the Student/New Member Special Interest Group of National Society of Genetic Counselors to learn more about this fast-growing profession! This hour-long webinar will feature two practicing genetic counselors and one genetic counseling student sharing their journey to genetic counseling and current day-to-day roles.
When? Sunday, November 19th, 2017 at 6pm CST
Register here: https://goo.gl/forms/LXSn1aPkyCuyStIr2
U of Manitoba MSc Open House
The University of Manitoba is hosting an open house for prospective genetic counselling students (counselling spelled with two L’s for our Canadian friends!)
PDF w/ details: UM-GC Open House
When: November 7, 2017, 5:30pm
Where: Basic Medical Sciences Building, Room 341, 745 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, MBRSVP: bmgadmin@umanitoba.ca by Nov 3, 2017
Prospectives in Genetic Counseling: Transitioning into the role of genetic counseling student
The following is a publication from the Prospective Students Task Force, part of the NSGC Student/New Member Special Interest Group (SIG). If you’re not familiar with SIGs, keep reading!
You’ll also find:
- Information on transitioning to graduate school
- Reflections from a re-applicant
- Resources and information on NSGC
Publication: Prospectives Newsletter_June2017
maps & genes 