During
my undergraduate training I struggled with deciding on what I wanted my future
to look like. I entered undergrad as a chemical engineering major, but I did
not see myself as an engineer for the rest of my life. I have always had a
passion for learning new things and ultimately decided on majoring in secondary
education with a focus on life science. In my 3rd and 4th
year of undergrad I worked at a school for students with disabilities which set
my foundation for teaching. After graduation I accepted a position in the high
school setting teaching biology, physical science, and environmental science. I
appreciated how diverse my students were in their learning styles and I enjoyed
using different strategies to teach concepts in order to reach all of the
students. While teaching our genetics unit, I collaborated with my colleagues
to create a project surrounding genetic conditions. This project was my first
exposure to the career of genetic counseling. I invited GC students from a
local program to talk with my students about the genetic counseling field and
their role in healthcare. I found myself drawn to the career and started to
explore opportunities to learn more about it.
After
a few years of teaching, I came to realize a career in genetic counseling could
engage my interests in life-long learning and teaching, while providing an
opportunity for meaningful interactions on a very personal basis with patients.
I decided it was time to change careers. Making the decision to leave teaching
was difficult. I had established myself in the school and built relationships
with the students and colleagues. I was scared of moving into the unknown. I
ultimately decided to leave teaching after I had the opportunity to shadow a
genetic counselor. Being able to experience the impact GCs can make affirmed
that this is what I wanted to do. While changing career paths has been one of
the most difficult decisions I had made, it has been on of the greatest
decisions. I left teaching to become a genetic counseling assistant (GCA) at a
local hospital system in a cancer clinic. My time as a GCA validated my choice
of switching careers and provided me with a deeper understanding of the field.
I was able experience the “behind the scenes” of genetic counseling and develop
my skills by speaking to
patients on a daily basis about genetics, documenting patient interactions,
generating test requisitions, investigating patient insurances, and calling out
VUS downgraded (benign) results.
During my graduate training at the University of Pittsburgh, I have been able to pull on skills that I have developed through my teaching and GCA experience. I believe building a solid foundation of transferable skills has been extremely helpful when transitioning into my clinical rotations. My unique background in teaching can provide different perspectives and I feel that the program leadership, rotation supervisors, and my classmates value my background and experiences. Finding the right career for you can be a difficult journey, and I am grateful for all of the people who have helped me along this path. I am thankful to be a part of Pittsburgh’s genetic counseling program and I look forward to the next steps of finding a job.
-Kristen D'Aquila
