Blog

The landscape of the genetic counselor workforce has shifted dramatically in recent years, in large part due to new opportunities for genetic counselors in genetic testing laboratory settings.  According to the Professional Status Survey conducted by the National Society of Genetic Counselors, the number of genetic counselors who report a laboratory as their primary work setting has doubled in the past 4 years and nearly tripled in the past 10, with 21% of genetic counselors

As the end of the year draws near, I have been thinking a lot about what GSF means to me, and why I think you should consider making a gift to GSF this year. It has been an amazing opportunity to work with GSF as a genetic counselor.  To be able to walk with people during incredibly important and often very difficult times in life.  To try to help people make meaning of the uncertain

Chromosomal microarray (CMA) is a technology that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now recommends be offered as a first-tier test for any woman undergoing diagnostic testing to replace the standard karyotype that has been used in practice for prenatal diagnosis for decades. This is a big change in practice; while the result may be an increase in the number of genetic differences that can be diagnosed through prenatal testing, it also comes with

Important guidelines in the area of prenatal genetics were recently published in the journal, Obstetrics and Gynecology (aka “The Green Journal”).  The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) collaborated on two new important references:  Practice Bulletin #162 Prenatal Diagnostic Testing for Genetic Disorders, and Practice Bulletin #163 Screening for Fetal Aneuploidy.  These are the first updated guidelines on these topics in nearly a decade and each offers a

Genetics and healthcare is a popular topic for television drama.  The ethical conundrums that arise with genetic testing coupled with the rarity of genetic conditions make for interesting stories.  As a genetic counselor, I often notice holes in the plot or inaccuracies in the way in which a genetic condition is portrayed or how a genetic test is discussed.  As much as I wish I could say that they got it wrong with the genetic