Leadership Seminar: Sonia Suter

Sonia Suter, JD, MS

Each year, the Pitt GC students invite a leader in the genetics field to speak with current students and give a seminar that addresses leadership in the field of genetic counseling for the department. This year, the class of 2020 invited Sonia Suter, JD, MS. Sonia received a Master's in Human Genetics and worked as a genetic counselor for two years before attending law school. She is a faculty research professor at George Washington University Law School and has unique expertise in law, ethics, and genetics, which she shared with us in her talk, Legal Issues in Genetics. Some of our students shared their thoughts after Sonia's visit.

Sonia Suter is an engaging speaker who is incredible at communicating how genetic counseling interacts with and is shaped by policy. I learned a great deal about ethical issues of the use of family genetics in law enforcement, and found her talk about a genetic counselor’s duty to warn those at risk incredibly relevant to topics we’ve discussed in our genetic counseling curriculum. One thing that resonated with me that she repeated throughout her presentation was the need for interdisciplinary education, especially when it comes to genetics. The need for healthcare professionals who have an understanding of the law and humanities is greater than it’s ever been, and it is reassuring to know that a professional like Sonia Suter, who has a deep understanding of the potential impact of new genetic technologies as well as the ethical dilemmas that come with them, is working in policy and law. The second year genetic counseling students did the Human Genetics department proud by inviting a speaker with such a profound depth of knowledge to share with us!

-Kaylee Williams, 1st year genetic counseling student

It was a privilege to hear Ms. Suter’s perspective on current ethical and legal issues surrounding the increasing accessibility of genetic testing.  I especially enjoyed her discussion of how genetic testing impacts the public and is perceived by law enforcement professionals. It was an excellent addition to our training in thinking as public health professionals about how genetic testing impacts individuals and families in the clinical setting as well as population health.

-Lauren Winter, 2nd year genetic counseling student

I’ve thought about and discussed the ethical aspects of genetic counseling, but had never really considered the legal perspective. With training as both a genetic counselor and a lawyer, Ms. Suter has a unique viewpoint. Her talk focused on two issues: using genetic databases to find criminals by identifying their relatives (an issue that emerged a year and a half ago), and the duty of healthcare professionals to warn family members of relevant genetic issues (a topic that has been debated for decades). I really appreciated that she made the time to cover two separate issues, which are relevant to genetic counselors and public health professionals.

-Claire McDonald, 2nd year genetic counseling student

As technology and medicine continue to advance - with genetics at the forefront - ethical considerations are especially important. Ms. Suter addressed ethical and legal aspects of both medical and forensic genetics during her visit to Pitt. Her interests in genetics and law illustrated the breadth of work genetic counselors are capable of. Genetic counselors have a unique ability to combine their interests and to stress that the field of genetics is relevant to and informed by other disciplines. There is a role for genetics in all aspects of life, from healthcare to ancestry to legal proceedings. This also means genetic counselors are needed in many disciplines to help others understand our field as well as the implications genetics can have in many aspects of life. With such a wide reach comes responsibility and Dr. Suter did a great job of bringing our attention to the aspects of genetics that intersect with law. She may be one of only a few genetic counselor lawyers, but I’m sure she won’t be the last. 

-Rose Venier, 2nd year genetic counseling student

Listening to Ms. Suter speak was an eye-opening experience, as she has a unique blend of expertise in genetics and law. The intersection between laws and policy related to genetic testing and genetic information can be complex, and she did an incredible job of elucidating these ideas. She also stressed the importance of being able to see issues from multiple perspectives, and I think the relevance of this concept with respect to genetics cannot be overstated. As genetic counselors, our role expands far beyond the clinic; we have a responsibility to educate and advocate for ethical and accessible genetic testing practices. Dr. Suter is a fantastic example of how this can be accomplished, and I enjoyed hearing her opinions and ideas.

-Megan Czekalski, 1st year genetic counseling student