Considering genetic counseling — looking for honest advice
Hi everyone! I’m considering applying to genetic counseling programs in 2027 for Fall 2028, and I’d love to hear from current GCs, students, or applicants about your experiences.
I have a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences and an M.S. in Bioinformatics, and I’ve worked for several years in molecular/genomics labs. I currently work as a forensic biologist and previously worked with NGS, WES, and cancer genomics.
I’ve also had some patient-facing experience, including working as a nursing home care aide and working one-on-one with a student with a rare neurological disorder, where I was involved in her daily care, advocacy, documentation, and coordination with her nurse and teachers. Genetic counseling has been a career I’ve been interested in for a long time, and I’m intentionally giving myself a full year before applying. I want to use that time to get more patient facing experience, shadow GCs, learn more about the profession, and make sure this is genuinely the right fit for me rather than rushing into another graduate program.
I’d especially love honest feedback on:
- For current GCs: Do you genuinely enjoy the career? Knowing what you know now, would you choose it again?
- What are the best and worst parts of the job that you didn’t fully understand before becoming a GC?
- For anyone familiar with admissions, how does my background look for GC programs?
- Given my strong science/genomics background, what would you prioritize over the next year to strengthen the areas I’m missing?
- If you were in my position with a full year to prepare, what would you spend that year doing?
- And most importantly, do you think GC is worth the time and investment of going through the program?
I know this is a big commitment, so I’m trying to be thoughtful about it. I’d really appreciate honest advice, including the less glamorous parts of the profession. Thank you!