Genetic Counseling

Certified genetic counselors help families affected by (or at risk for) inherited conditions, serving as a resource for other health professionals, patients, and the general public. They work with people seeking a diagnosis, who have just received a diagnosis, or who have questions about their chances of developing an inherited condition (e.g. Cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s disease, Sickle cell anemia, Hemophilia). They could work in, but not limited to, the following areas: Cancer, Cardiology, Neurology, Prenatal Care.

Reasons you might consult a genetic counselor:

• You are pregnant, or thinking about becoming pregnant, and you are concerned about your baby’s health. For example, you might be:

  • Pregnant, had genetic testing and your baby received an abnormal test result

  • Concerned about an inherited condition in your family and want to know the risk of your baby having that condition

  • Considering what common genetic tests your baby should have, such as for Down Syndrome

• You, your child or a family member has been diagnosed with a genetic condition

• A close relative has been diagnosed with cancer, Alzheimer’s disease or some other condition that may be due to an inherited gene, and you wonder if you or your children might have that gene

• You would like advice for sharing genetic information with relatives Your family has a history of birth defects or other genetic conditions

Roles of Genetic Counselor:

• Identify at-risk families and provide info and support

• Collect extensive family histories and analyze inheritance patterns

• Break down complex genetic/genomic information

• Explain genetic test results

• Provide recurrence risk counseling

• Advocate for patients and families

• Educate patients, health care professionals, and the public

• Engage in genetics/genomics research

Learn more:

• Simulated genetic counseling sessions (Cardiovascular, prenatal, cancer)

• Directory of accredited genetic counseling programs

• How to Become a Genetic Counselor | AboutGeneticCounselors.com

• ExploreHealthCareers.org | Occupational Outlook Handbook

Speech Language Pathology

Speech-language pathologists (sometimes called speech therapists) assess, diagnose, treat, and help to prevent communication and swallowing disorders in children and adults. Speech, language, and swallowing disorders result from a variety of causes, such as a stroke, brain injury, hearing loss, developmental delay, Parkinson’s disease, a cleft palate, or autism. SLPs are strongly connected with audiologists who focus on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of hearing and balance problems. You can learn more about speech language pathologists here.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture/Oriental medicine (AOM) is an ancient and empirical system of medicine based on the concept of qi (pronounced “chee”), which is usually translated as energy. AOM treatments identify a pattern of energetic imbalance within a patient and redress that disharmony through a variety of therapies that may include acupuncture needling, cupping, acupressure, exercises such as tai ji and qi gong and Chinese herbal preparations. AOM is virtually free of the side effects that accompany many modern medical procedures. As a relatively inexpensive form of treatment, it is especially appropriate for reducing health care costs.  The success of acupuncture today is due to its efficacy, remarkable safety record, cost-effectiveness and significant public demand.

Learn more: ExploreHealthCareers.org | accredited AOM school directory | read about an acupuncture student's experience