How My Experience as a GCA Has Helped Me in Grad School - Abby Johnson

 

Coming into Pitt’s graduate program, I had worked for 2 years as a genetic counseling assistant (GCA) in a pediatric neurogenetic clinic. And while working as a GCA is absolutely not a requirement for getting into the program (my classmates especially have a very diverse background of experiences), I learned a lot as a GCA, and it was an incredibly rewarding experience for me. Some of the most valuable skills I gained were ones that didn’t seem so significant while I was working as a GCA but translated well to my knowledge base as a student.

As a GCA, I was very involved in the genetic counseling process from start to finish. This included chart review for patients coming in, drafting genetic testing orders, uploading reports once we received them, and calling out non-diagnostic results. Having this holistic understanding of what a genetic counseling session involves was helpful for me when first starting classes. I was already prepared for the level of knowledge we’re supposed to have as genetic counselors and I was familiar with concepts like testing options, how to decide on a test, and what concerns patients might bring into a session. This practical knowledge on the logistics of a session helped me take more away from my classes because I knew what the most important things to focus on were and what questions I could ask to fully understand the context of the information I was learning.

On a more patient-focused level, I also greatly benefited from the amount of shadowing and counseling exposure I had as a GCA. Coming into school, I was comfortable speaking to patients on the phone and in-person for sessions, which seems like a small thing, but has really helped me feel more confident going into simulated patient sessions and rotations. I also learned many soft skills from watching different genetic counselors in a multitude of patient situations. In classes we learn about skills that we can use in patient sessions, and having seen these in-person, I am able to better connect and understand the utility of many of these skills. The everyday exposure to appropriate and culturally sensitive language is another thing that has stuck with me. I feel better prepared to explain and talk about genetic concepts and disorders in a way that avoids language that may trigger judgement, blame, or negative connotation. Skills like this come more naturally from greater exposure to genetic counseling as a whole and working in a space dominated by genetic counselors.

As useful as this experience has been for me, I do want to reiterate again that it is absolutely not required to have GCA experience in order to be successful in grad school! Many of the skills I learned are not unique to a GCA job, either. There are so many experiences where you can become comfortable speaking with patients or learn to be mindful about your language. You can also learn so much from shadowing experiences and other exposures such as listening to genetic counseling podcasts or reading current literature. One thing I love about my cohort at Pitt is that each of my classmates bring in such different experiences, and I can see how those experiences have been helpful for them in their journey as well.

The last thing I want to say about my experience as a GCA is that I was able to get to know many different genetic counselors on a professional and personal level. Developing these relationships helped me feel more confident that I was in the right place. Every genetic counselor I worked with inspired me so much info many different ways and I am truly honored to be able to join them as a colleague in the future.