Student Spotlight: GCAs at the UPMC Hereditary GI Tumor Program

 

Lauren Garcia (left) and Aika Miikeda

We work at the UPMC Hereditary GI Tumor Program as Genetic Counseling Assistants (GCAs). The majority of patients come to our clinic for hereditary GI cancer risk assessment or management, including Lynch Syndrome, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC), Familial Pancreatic Cancer (FPC), and more. The team consists of a gastroenterologist specializing in hereditary GI predispositions, two genetic counselors, Beth and Eve, and several research coordinators who enroll and coordinate patient participation in various research studies. Typically, we see about 10 new patients per week. Patients with known familial variants may choose to have single-site testing, and others may be tested using multigene panels that include many cancer predisposition syndromes. One of our roles as GCAs is to collect relevant past/current medical histories and family history information before these appointments. Other tasks include entering pedigrees and genetic test results and inputting patient information into the research registry. Both of us have the same roles and are assigned to each genetic counselor in the clinic.

 

What’s it like to work at the clinic? 

Working at the GI Tumor Clinic continues to be a unique and rewarding experience. Both of us feel that it's been valuable in our development as future genetic counselors. It has been especially helpful in applying core genetic counseling skills, like constructing pedigrees and interpreting genetic test results. During the beginning of the pandemic, the office set up remote options for the previous GCAs, which allowed us to have a lot of flexibility when we took our positions. Both of us had periods where we worked out of the state or out of the country because we had access to everything we needed from home. Even with loosening restrictions, we are still mostly remote, which has been helpful during busy rotation schedules. Each of us stops by the office about once a week to drop off or pick up paperwork. Typically, the GI clinic has one GCA per class, but when we entered the program, they decided to hire two GCAs. Having two GCAs allows us more flexibility and the opportunity to learn and discuss questions with one another, especially in the current remote nature of our job.

 

Why did we choose this position?

Lauren: Before grad school, I had a strong interest in cancer genetics and worked as a researcher in a cancer laboratory, mainly focusing on breast and ovarian cancer. I knew that I wanted to continue working in this space and was excited to apply for this position, as it seemed like a great fit. In addition, I liked that I would be able to actively apply what I was learning in class, such as constructing pedigrees, reading test results, and becoming more familiar with GI cancers and the many roles of a genetic counselor in this environment.

Aika: I have always been interested in GI cancer predisposition syndromes, and I wanted to do my thesis on this topic when I got into a GC program. When the GI Tumor Program work position became available, I was very excited to apply and learn more from my work position. We are also provided an opportunity to do a thesis with them, and I am on board with exploring my thesis in the clinic. I am very thankful for being able to explore my interest in the cancer genetics field as a GCA.