A Rapidly Evolving Field

Genetic counselling is an ever-changing profession that combines education about genetic conditions with support for individuals and families affected by these conditions. Genetic counselling is a family-focused service that considers the effects of the genetic condition on the whole family, not just the referred individual, and provides support and appropriate resources to all who are interested. Genetic counselling remains respectful of the clients’ culture, language, traditions, lifestyle, religious beliefs and values (American Board of Genetic Counseling, 2007). The option of genetic testing and its pros/cons/limitations may be discussed to help someone understand their risks. A genetic counsellor helps people adapt to and integrate genetic health risks into their daily lives.

Genetic counsellors work in varying roles, within and outside a clinical setting. In a clinical setting, genetic counselling helps individuals and families understand their risk of either having, or developing, an inherited condition. Areas of focus include prenatal, pediatric, adult and cancer genetics. Examples include:

• Prenatal: A genetic counsellor meets with an expectant parent to discuss a possible genetic risk to a pregnancy, discovered through regular prenatal screening or testing

• Pediatrics: A genetic counsellor meets with a parent following the birth of a child with a known genetic condition (such as phenylketonuria or PKU), or medical concerns for a genetic condition

• Adult: A genetic counsellor meets with an individual to discuss a family history of a genetic condition (such as Huntington disease) and the option of genetic testing

• Cancer: A genetic counsellor meets with an individual to discuss possible genetic risks due to their personal or family history of cancer

Genetic counselling is growing to include specialty areas across healthcare, such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, neurology, ophthalmology, hematology, infertility, pharmacogenetics, and genomic medicine (National Society of Genetic Counselors, 2012).

Additionally, genetic counsellors increasingly work in non patient-facing roles outside the clinic. For example, they may work in genetic testing laboratories, as clinical researchers, as educators, or in business enterprises using their genetics and communications expertise.

Genetic Counselling Resources

Please see below for genetic counselling professional and certification organizations in Canada and the U.S. A list of genetic counsellors open to student contact may be found on the CAGC and NSGC websites, via the search/member directory feature.