Entering Grad School with Different Work and Education Background - Gabi Slizewska

 

Applying to graduate genetic counseling programs can be incredibly overwhelming. It is a very lengthy, expensive, and stressful process. Unfortunately, spots are limited and many qualified candidates are unable to secure a spot. With all this in mind, it’s easy to understand why many prospective students focus on perfecting their resume. I remember scouring the internet for the best resources and hounding current genetic counseling students for advice. However, my resume was far from perfect, and I couldn’t help but worry that I was never going to match with a program. Now, as a first year student, I am finally starting to realize that a good candidate does not have to fit a certain mold.

We all need to meet certain academic requirements to qualify for a program, but you don’t need to have all A’s. In fact, it’s even okay if you failed a class or two the first time around. I did! Just because you struggle with a certain class, doesn’t mean you’re not intelligent enough or cut out for this field. STEM courses are difficult for many of us, and life can sometimes make academic success even more challenging.

I also remember focusing on checking off the boxes in terms of experiences; getting the right job, the same opportunities, and the same experiences as everyone else. One example of this is research. The truth is, I came into this program with no research experience. I was very open about this during interviews, and during the start of the program. The program leadership has been very understanding about this, and I’ve received a ton of support and guidance as I began brainstorming ideas for my thesis project.

Another area where I struggled was in obtaining counseling experience. Unfortunately, with the onset of the pandemic, many in-person opportunities became scarce and online opportunities became over-saturated with volunteers. There are a few organizations that are particularly popular with applicants, but they became exceedingly difficult to get in touch with. It is perfectly fine to look for other options and to explore opportunities that are local to you! Having unique experiences may even make you stand out more against other applicants!

Lastly, I spent a lot of time searching for a GCA position. It seemed that just about every current student I talked to had one. I was very anxious about the fact that I did not have this experience on my resume. What I learned is that a GCA position is a very good experience to have on your resume, but it is absolutely not necessary. There aren’t a lot of these positions available, and even fewer in rural areas. Program leadership knows this! There are lots of other ways to learn more about the field. Talk to genetic counselors, talk to current students, talk to program leadership, and look into online resources. There are also plenty of other job opportunities that relate to patient care, counseling, or education. Not to mention, it is perfectly okay to work in an unrelated field, as long as you can learn something applicable to genetic counseling. This can even be something like leadership or communication skills!

What I want to convey is that it really does not matter if your resume looks just like mine or any other genetic counseling student’s. Focus on doing things that you are passionate about, and make sure that passion comes through in your personal statement and during interviews. I was so happy to meet my cohort and learn that they all came from different backgrounds and with many unique experiences. We all have our own strengths and weaknesses, but what we discovered is that we all complement each other. There really is some sort of magic involved when this program’s leadership makes their choices during the match process!