Focus Internship

The Focus Internship is a unique feature of the Emory Genetic Counseling Training Program. It spans the two years of the students' training and is intended to provide an extended and in-depth experience in one area related to genetics practice, policy, and/or research. In addition to participating in activities and meetings, and offering valuable work of benefit to their mentor, the internship provides the basis for the student’s Capstone Project, which includes:

• Project design and execution, review and analysis of data
• Creation of an abstract for a professional meeting
• Creation of a poster to be presented at the Dr. Cecelia Bellcross GCTP Poster Walk
• Completion of a first-author publishable manuscript based on their project

Previous projects can be found in our alumni section.

Examples of activities that GC students could be involved in include (but are not limited to): 

• Literature reviews/summaries
• Subject education and consenting
• Data collection, entry and review
• Conduct phone interviews
• Family history collection
• Pedigree program entry
• Database/resource searching
• Chart reviews and data abstraction
• Project coordinator activities
• Development of educational materials
• Lay/public and provider presentations
• Assist lab procedures, report writing
• Create counseling materials, letters
• Assist patient/provider communication
• Provide genetic counseling/education
• Attend standing meetings
• Attend/present at related conferences

Students work under the guidance of a mentor and committee spending an average of four-to-six hours per week on their focus activities during the academic years and the equivalent of four full-time weeks during the interim summer.

Information about the various focus opportunities available in any given year and mentor contacts are made available to the students in the summer before they begin graduate school at Emory. During that time, students reach out to several mentors to interview and discuss the available focus opportunity and related capstone project. Using that information, students and potential mentors provide rankings of their selections to the GCTP Leadership. Leadership conducts a pairing process using these rankings in order to designate student/mentor teams.