26. Introduction to Fieldwork
Fieldwork provides an opportunity for GC students to learn about the comprehensive diagnosis and management of patients from different perspectives. Students will experience key features of clinical care such as counseling, communication and education, and management skills as well as key features of nonclinical care such as variant interpretation, lab stewardship, and patient advocacy. Fieldwork also provides an opportunity for students to improve their skills in contracting, medical and family history taking, risk assessment, genetics education, pre- and post-test counseling, facilitating decision making, results disclosure, and clinical documentation.
Students observe clinical and nonclinical settings during the first year to gain an understanding of the various roles of a genetic counselor. Generally, there is one observation per week during Fall 1 and Spring 1. Students continue their progress towards competency in the ACGC Practice-Based Competencies via second year participatory fieldwork, which encompasses five rotations spread across Summer 1, Fall 2, and Spring 2. Students will participate in a genetic counseling (or related) clinical or non-clinical setting for two-four full days per week (depending on semester, setting, and supervisor availability/preference). Each fieldwork placement will be four-seven weeks (depending on how many days per week), and students will have one-two placements per semester. The fieldwork will include several core (prenatal, pediatrics, cancer) and specialty (cardiogenetics, neurology, endocrine) genetic counseling clinics in addition to non-clinical settings (laboratory, research, advocacy, industry, public health).