The Required Education to Be a Genetic Counselor
Genetic counselors provide support, information and counseling to families with members who have birth defects or genetic disorders. The counselor may provide options for families at risk for genetic disorders or work in a research role. A genetic counselor must have a master's degree education to work in the field.
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Undergraduate Degree
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You may enter a master's degree program after completing an undergraduate degree program in biology, nursing, psychology, genetics, public health or social work. According to Boston University School of Medicine, you may enter the master's degree program with an undergraduate in any area as long as you complete prerequisite courses that include a semester of genetics, biochemistry, statistics and psychology. You must complete a year of biology and chemistry as an undergraduate to qualify for entry into the master's degree program.
Master's Degree
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The master's degree program in genetics counseling includes courses such as clinical genetics, genetic diagnosis, biostatistics, cancer genetic counseling, metabolic genetics and clinical rotations. You must also learn counseling techniques and genetics ethics when training for a career as a genetic counselor. Clinical rotations provide an opportunity to learn counseling techniques and methods under the supervision of trained professionals.
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Certification
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Certification is not a requirement for a position as a genetic counselor, but the majority of individuals obtain board certification, according to the Bioscience Careers website by the North Carolina Association for Biomedical Research. Candidates for certification must meet the requirements of the American Board of Genetic Counselors to receive the sit for the board examination. You must pass the examination to qualify for the credential. The certification examination consists of questions on case histories, risk diagnosis, genetics testing, psychosocial support, ethics and legal issues.
Skills
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A genetics counselor must be able to communicate advanced technical information in a nontechnical manner for families and individuals. The counselor has the skill to provide support for families dealing with difficult situations and to provide options for the family after research. The genetics counselor must prepare for a lifetime of study and research to remain current in the field.
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