Job Outlook for:
Genetic Counselors
SOC: 29-9092 OOH: U138
| Genetic Counselors Quick Stats |
|
| Total Jobs in 2016 | 3,100 |
| Expected Growth | 28% (Much faster than average) |
| New Jobs To Be Added from 2016 to 2026 |
900 |
| Median Pay | $55,000 to $74,999 |
- Job Outlook for Genetic Counselors
- Pay for Genetic Counselors
- What do Genetic Counselors do all day
- The work environment
- How to become one
Short video describing: Genetic Counselors
Employment Outlook for Genetic Counselors
Employment of genetic counselors is projected to grow 28 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. However, because it is a small occupation, the fast growth will result in only about 900 new jobs over the 10-year period.
Ongoing technological innovations, including lab tests and developments in genomics, are giving counselors opportunities to conduct more types of analyses. Cancer genomics, for example, can determine a patient’s risk for specific types of cancer. The number and types of tests that genetic counselors can administer and evaluate have increased over the past few years. Many types of genetic tests are covered by health insurance providers.
Job Prospects
Genetic counselors who graduate from an accredited program and pass the board certification exam can generally expect the most favorable job prospects.
Typical Pay for Genetic Counselors
The median annual wage for genetic counselors was $74,120 in May 2016. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $45,540, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $104,770.
In May 2016, the median annual wages for genetic counselors in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Medical and diagnostic laboratories | $86,050 |
| Offices of physicians | 74,540 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 72,290 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | 63,860 |
Most genetic counselors work full time and have a standard work schedule.
What Genetic Counselors Do All Day
Genetic counselors assess individual or family risk for a variety of inherited conditions, such as genetic disorders and birth defects. They provide information and support to other healthcare providers, or to individuals and families concerned with the risk of inherited conditions.
Duties
Genetic counselors typically do the following:
- Interview patients to get comprehensive individual family and medical histories
- Evaluate genetic information to identify patients or families at risk for specific genetic disorders
- Write detailed consultation reports to provide information on complex genetic concepts for patients or referring physicians
- Discuss testing options and the associated risks, benefits, and limitations with patients, families, and other healthcare providers
- Counsel patients and family members by providing information, education, or reassurance regarding genetic risks and inherited conditions
- Participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in genetics and genomics
Genetic counselors identify specific genetic disorders or risks through the study of genetics. A genetic disorder or syndrome is inherited. For parents who are expecting children, counselors use genetics to predict whether a baby is likely to have hereditary disorders, such as Down syndrome and cystic fibrosis, among others. Genetic counselors also assess the risk for an adult to develop diseases with a genetic component, such as certain forms of cancer.
Counselors identify these conditions by studying patients’ genes through DNA testing. Medical laboratory technologists perform lab tests, which genetic counselors then evaluate and use for counseling patients and their families. They share this information with other health professionals, such as physicians and medical and clinical laboratory technologists and technicians.
According to a 2016 survey from the National Society of Genetic Counselors, most genetic counselors specialize in traditional areas of genetic counseling: prenatal, cancer, and pediatric. The survey noted that genetic counselors also may work in one or more specialty fields such as cardiovascular health, genomic medicine, neurogenetics, and psychiatry.
Work Environment for Genetic Counselors
Genetic counselors held about 3,100 jobs in 2016. The largest employers of genetic counselors were as follows:
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 33% |
| Offices of physicians | 20 |
| Medical and diagnostic laboratories | 18 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | 11 |
| Self-employed workers | 8 |
Genetic counselors work with families, patients, and other medical professionals.
Work Schedules
Most genetic counselors work full time and have a standard work schedule.
How To Become a Genetic Counselor
Genetic counselors typically need a master’s degree in genetic counseling or genetics, and board certification.
Education
Genetic counselors typically need a master’s degree in genetic counseling or genetics.
Coursework in genetic counseling includes public health, epidemiology, psychology, and developmental biology. Classes emphasize genetics, public health, and patient empathy. Students also must complete clinical rotations, during which they work directly with patients and clients. Clinical rotations provide supervised experience for students, allowing them to work in different work environments, such as prenatal diagnostic centers, pediatric hospitals, or cancer centers.
In 2016, there were 33 master’s degree programs in the United States that were accredited by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
The American Board of Genetic Counseling provides certification for genetic counselors. To become certified, a student must complete an accredited master’s degree program and pass an exam. Counselors must complete continuing education courses to maintain their board certification.
As of 2016, 22 states required genetic counselors to be licensed, and other states have pending legislation for licensure. Certification is typically needed to get a license. For specific licensing requirements, contact the state’s medical board.
Employers typically require or prefer prospective genetic counselors to be certified, even if the state does not require it.
Important Qualities
Communication skills. Genetic counselors must be able to simplify complex findings so that their patients understand them.
Compassion. Patients may seek advice on family care or serious illnesses. Genetic counselors must be sensitive and compassionate when communicating their findings.
Critical-thinking skills. Genetic counselors analyze laboratory findings to determine how best to advise a patient or family. They use their applied knowledge of genetics to assess inherited risks properly.
Decisionmaking skills. Genetic counselors must use their expertise and experience to determine how to share their findings properly with patients.
"Genetic Counselors" SOC: 29-9092 OOH Code: U138