I was so excited to be able to travel to NSGC
with my classmates, so when it was moved to remote you can imagine how
disappointed I was. BUT my classmates are the best and we put together a little
weekend Airbnb vacation in a mountain resort and had the best time. I actually
think this ended up being a little bit better of a set up because we were able
to watch everything together and talk during the presentations. I also found
the presentations really interesting. There were plenty that I continue to
discuss with my classmates now, and that I went back to watch after NSGC was
over as well.
-Julia Knapo
Even as a remote conference, I found NSGC to
be an extremely valuable experience. There were so many inspirational talks and
speakers; I especially appreciated the emphasis on JEDI topics at the
conference this year. I also think it was helpful that the sessions were
recorded, so I was able to go back and review any interesting sessions that I
missed. My classmates and I were still able to enjoy much of the conference
together, and I am so grateful to have them all as peers and future colleagues.
I am thrilled to be joining such a great profession and can’t wait for more
NSGC conferences in the future.
-Maria Rhine
While we were all disappointed we couldn’t
travel to New Orleans as originally planned, this year’s virtual NSGC
conference turned out to be a wonderful experience. Our class decided to watch
a majority of the presentations together at an Airbnb outside of Pittsburgh,
making the conference feel as normal/in-person as possible. I enjoyed being
able to discuss the lectures live with my peers and then spend time together
after the sessions were done for the day. Additionally, attending NSGC for the
second time has shown me just how much I’ve grown in this past year of classes
and clinical rotations. I look forward to next year’s (hopefully in-person)
conference!
-Liz Bombal
Despite having the NSGC conference virtually
was unexpected for this year, the conference was still informative and
inspiring. The virtual platform for this year was different from last year’s
platform. We could access the conference from both the computer and phone
application, which made it flexible and easier to access the conference
schedules. This year, we were able to have virtual video meetings (instead of a
chat function last year) with exhibitors in the Exhibit Halls. This format was
much easier to network and get a feel of different exhibitors participating in
the conference. As others have mentioned, being able to discuss the content of
the presentation during and after the sessions were extremely helpful and exciting.
I look forward to attending future NSGC in person!
-Aika Miikeda
This was my second year attending NSGC virtually, as I had done so in my first year in the program. I was disappointed that COVID-19 was still taking such a toll on this wonderful experience for the second time, I’m glad that the organizers made the decision to hold the 2021 convention virtually since we understand well the public health implications of an in-person event. That being said, this year was different in that I got to hand out with my GC cohort in-person since we were all vaccinated and watch the events together! It was so nice to create a group itinerary and engage in productive discussion throughout: this was especially helpful when a lecture presented tough concepts to grasp and we could work together to clarify these issues in ways that we could not do alone. For example, one of the talks that I really enjoyed was a discussion on the use of single-gene NIPT for fetal risk assessment for recessively-inherited conditions (which is not yet utilized clinically). This was something that I think was an entirely new concept to all of us, and even now I have some trouble recalling exactly how it works! However, reader, I certainly encourage you to read more about this exciting technology for yourself: Clinical Service Delivery of Noninvasive Prenatal Diagnosis by Relative Haplotype Dosage for Single-Gene Disorders - ScienceDirect -Frank Swann
I
really appreciated the opportunity to attend NSGC this year. While my
classmates and I were disappointed to not attend in person, we were able to
still watch a majority of the presentations together. I also think one benefit
of the conference being online, is the ability to go back and watch other
presentations. There was a presentation on raw data that included genetic
counselors and a lawyer. The presentation talked about how individuals are now
requesting their raw data from direct-to-consumer testing companies and asking
third parties to translate the information. Raw data is not validated or
accurate. Different companies interpret SNPs differently, which can lead to
misunderstanding and unnecessary stress. I was able to use part of the talk and
the articles mentioned in the presentation for my public health essay/thesis.
-Haley
Soller
Although
it was disappointing to attend another virtual NSGC conference, it was a great
learning experience for me. I was able to attend the sessions I was most
interested in as they happened live, but I now also have the opportunity to
rewatch other sessions, as they were all recorded. The material presented this
year focused a lot on the new language and integration of gender-fluid or
non-binary individuals, which I appreciated. There were several interesting
presentations on pedigree standardization for individuals who are gender
non-conforming. I am excited to see what next year’s conference brings, and I
look forward to the potential in-person conference in 2022.
-Natalie
Tri
I
was disappointed about not being able to go to New Orleans this year, but I
appreciated the opportunity to attend NSGC the second time during my graduate
school experience. It was exciting and inspiring to see the personal growth
within a year, as I was able to relate and think of ways to integrate the
knowledge learnt from the talks into the future career or even current
rotations. I particularly enjoyed the video/Zoom platform to interact with
people, making it easier to talk and learn from people’s experience compared to
last year. Other topics I appreciate are diversity and inclusivity addressed by
not only by multiple institutions but also testing laboratories, which provided
exciting insights into expanding our genetic databases and the field’s
direction. I look forward to attending NSGC in years to come, hopefully in
person.
-Phuc
Do
I
had a wonderful time attending NSGC (virtually) this year! As many have said it
was disappointing to not be in person, but my classmates and I made the best of
it. We ended up attending the virtual conference together from an Airbnb in the
mountains, and it was such a lovely way to engage with the NSGC material. We
were able to spend valuable time together and discuss our thoughts on the
various lectures we attended. I am incredibly grateful that we made the most of
this experience, even if it was not the experience we originally had in mind.
-Savannah
Binion
I
enjoyed attending NSGC virtually with my classmates. I was disappointed that it
was not in person this year but our class made the most of it and rented an
Airbnb outside of Pittsburgh. This was a great way to still have in person
conversation and discussions about the talks and it was really helpful for me
to be able to talk during the session and ask questions to my classmates. The
content of the conference this year was also very interesting and impactful
related to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. A great feature of having
the conference virtual is that I am able to go back and rewatch some of the
talks that I was not able to attend live with my classmates. Overall, attending
NSGC virtually still provided great talks to move the profession forward and I
look forward to next year’s conference (hopefully in person)!
-Kristen
D’Aquila
Like
everyone, I was saddened not to be attending NSGC in person in New Orleans, but
I also understood that moving it to a virtual setting was absolutely the safest
choice overall. In every other way, this year’s conference was fantastic. It
showed me how much I’ve grown in just a year -- I understood so much more about
every presentation I watched and could make connections to lectures I’ve had or
cases I’ve seen in clinic. Every talk on the schedule sounded so exciting that
I was really grateful the virtual mode made it possible to go back and watch
the ones I had missed. It was fantastic to feel like such a part of this
wonderful community and even envision myself presenting at NSGC some day in the
future!
-Bailey
Sasseville
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