|
Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals
Genetic Counseling
|
Summary Genetic counselors are part
geneticist, part social worker Genetic information is explained to patients
in laymen's terms Resources and information about entering the field
While scientists have been working around the clock to crack the human
genetic code, a group of unsung healthcare heroes is helping translate
genetic advances into news patients can use.
These healthcare professionals, called genetic counselors, are part geneticist
and part social worker. They provide information and support to people
who may be at risk for a variety of inherited conditions, and help them
decide whether to undergo testing for genetic mutations. They also counsel
families who have members with birth defects or genetic disorders like
Down's syndrome, Huntington disease, cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy.
Prenatal genetic counselor Catherine L. Wicklund, MS, counsels women who are pregnant
or considering pregnancy about the risks of birth defects or other problems. Obstetricians
routinely refer women who are 34 or older to genetic counselors. In addition, some younger
women actively seek out a consultation with a genetic counselor if they have a relative
with a genetic disorder.
"We talk about the risks and what kinds of testing options are available,"
says Wicklund, who works in the Ob/Gyn department at the University of Texas Medical
School in Houston. "Genetic counselors are trained to explain
complex genetic information in laymen's terms," Wicklund says.
|
Interested
in a genetic counseling career?
|
| The
genetic counseling profession is rapidly expanding and
diversifying, according to the National Society of Genetic Counselors.
Heightened public awareness of genetic testing, coupled
with scientific advances in adult disorders and reproductive
technologies, has increased the demand for genetic counselors,
the NSGC says.
People enter the field from a variety of disciplines,
including biology, genetics, nursing, psychology, public
health and social work, and must receive a master's
degree and certification in genetic counseling. Numerous
training
programs offer master's degrees in genetic counseling
in the United States.
Many genetic counselors choose the career because they enjoy both science and working
with people, "and they don't want to be in a lab," says Steven Keiles, MS,
genetic counselor for Kaiser Permanente's West Los Angeles Medical Center. |
|
|
If a patient elects for testing, Wicklund delivers the test results. If the news is
bad, Wicklund explains the patient's options, directs her to resources, and may begin a
long-term relationship with her and her family. "It never gets easier telling people
that their baby will have a problem. It's difficult no matter how many times you've done
it," she says.
In addition to prenatal tests, genetic tests for identifying a person's predisposition
to adult-onset diseases are becoming common, says Steven Keiles, MS, genetic counselor for
Kaiser Permanente's West Los Angeles Medical Center. And
as the menu of genetic testing options expands, so does the pool of potential test-takers,
he says. "In the past, we could only test for diseases like muscular dystrophy, which
isn't common," Keiles says. "Now we're moving to testing for [genetic
susceptibility to] common adult diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes," he
says. Someday a patient's blood sample could be used to develop a complete genetic profile
detailing his or her susceptibility to all kinds of conditions, Keiles says.
Genetic counselors have their work cut out for them as the public becomes increasingly
aware of the availability of genetic tests without fully understanding the science behind
them. "Genetic susceptibility is a difficult concept to understand," Wicklund
says. "Just because you have the genotype for a higher susceptibility to diabetes,
for example, doesn't mean you're going to get it."
Some patients weigh their options and decide not to be tested, Keiles says. If there is
no known prevention method or cure for a disease, genetic testing may be a bad idea,
experts say. "Just because the test is available doesn't mean you should do it,"
Keiles says. "My job is to help people make informed decisions about what's best for
them," Keiles says.
Genetic counselors serve as "stop signs on the road," says Christine McElroy,
MS, a genetic counselor at Children's Hospital Oakland
in California. "Anyone can get their blood drawn and find out they have a change in a
gene that predisposes them to cancer or Huntington disease. But you have to think of the
consequences," McElroy says. "We're the brakes that help people think of all the
issues involved," she says.
