Clinical Training Details
The clinical training component of the Emory Genetic Counseling Training Program is designed to provide students with exposure to genetic counseling and other aspects of the provision of genetic services throughout their program experience and in a wide variety of settings.
It is our philosophy that concepts learned through didactic coursework are better understood, better retained, and more meaningful if accompanied concurrently by real-world clinical experiences.
The program includes a total of 5 core and 5 specialty rotations ensuring that graduates will have well over 50 cases required for eligibility for certification by the American Board of Genetic Counseling.
Rotations
Rotation experiences are designed to provide students with exposure to the diversity that exists within the genetic counseling profession, while also providing ample opportunity to develop proficiency in the core genetic counseling competencies.
In addition to the multiple clinical training opportunities provided through the Emory Division of Medical Genetics, students will complete rotations with non-Emory genetic counselors and other genetics practitioners at various clinics, hospitals, and facilities in the greater Atlanta area.
Opportunities for summer rotations elsewhere in Georgia or out-of-state will also be facilitated based on student preference. Exposure to a variety of practice styles and clinic settings will aid students in developing their own counseling style and increase their flexibility in the job market.
Clinical Preparations
The clinical practicum experience begins in the second half of the fall semester with 8 weeks of training in the basics of general, cancer and prenatal genetic counseling, in addition to clinical observations, role-play activities, and simulations with standardized patients.
Core Rotations
Clinical placements start in the first spring semester. All students complete five, eight-week rotations in the core areas of:
- Prenatal
- Cancer
- General Genetics
Specialty Clinic/Fieldwork Experiences
The Core Rotations are supplemented by five, four-week specialty clinic/fieldwork experiences, two in the first year, and three in the second year.
Examples of rotation opportunities
- Prenatal/Maternal-Fetal Medicine
- Cancer Genetics
- General Genetics Clinic
- Fragile X
- Down Syndrome
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Craniofacial Abnormalities
- Laboratory Genetic Counseling
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Marcus Autism Center
- Adult Congenital Heart Disease
- Bleeding Disorders
- Metabolic/Newborn Screening
- Neurology/Epilepsy
- Jewish Genetic Disease Program
- Reproductive Endocrinology
- Lysosomal Storage Disease Center
- Center for 22q11 Deletion Syndrome
- Skeletal Dysplasia
- Pediatric Hearing Loss (upcoming)
- Pediatric Oncology