An examination of the factors contributing to the expansion of subspecialty genetic counseling.

In recent years, genetic counselors have moved into increasingly varied areas of patient care. Yet limited information is known about how these genetic counselors transitioned from more general clinical practice to subspecialized practice. This study was designed to answer three research questions: (1) What common factors establish a need for a genetic counselor in a subspecialty setting? (2) How do genetic counselors in subspecialties establish their positions? (3) Once established, how do the positions of these genetic counselors evolve as the subspecialty expands? Phone interviews with subspecialized genetic counselors led to the development of an online survey distributed through the National Society of Genetic Counselors ListServ.

Biotech 101: an educational outreach program in genetics and biotechnology.

Recent advances in research and biotechnology are making genetics and genomics increasingly relevant to the lives and health of the general public. For the public to make informed healthcare and public policy decisions relating to genetic information, there is a need for increased genetic literacy. Biotech 101 is a free, short-course for the local community introducing participants to topics in genetics, genomics, and biotechnology, created at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology.

Attitudes and practice of genetic counselors regarding anonymous testing for BRCA1/2.

Patients and clinicians alike view anonymous testing as a potential way to avoid perceived risks of genetic testing such as insurance and employment discrimination and the potential loss of privacy. To assess their experience with and attitudes towards anonymous testing for BRCA1/2, genetic counselors were invited to complete an internet-based survey via the NSGC Familial Cancer Risk Counseling Special Interest Group (FCRC-SIG) listerv. A majority of the 115 respondents (70%) had received requests from patients for anonymous BRCA1/2 testing at some point in their careers and 43% complied with this request.