University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children s Hospital Medical Center. Genetic Counseling Program M.S.

Transcription

1 University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children s Hospital Medical Center Genetic Counseling Program M.S.

2 What is genetic counseling? Genetic counseling is the process of helping people understand and adapt to the medical, psychological and familial implications of genetic contributions to disease NSGC 2005

3 What does genetic counseling involve? Interpretation of family and medical histories to assess the chance of disease occurrence or recurrence Education about inheritance, testing, management, prevention, resources and research Non-directive counseling to promote informed choices and adaptation to the risk or condition

4 Who do genetic counselors serve? Prenatal Couples who have experienced infertility, miscarriage, still birth or an early infant death Pregnant women who are at higher risk for a genetic condition, such as cystic fibrosis or sickle cell anemia Pediatric Children with multiple birth defects or developmental delay Children with known genetic conditions Adults People with a personal or family history of certain types of cancer or adult onset conditions

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6 Where are we located? We spend time at both Cincinnati Children s Hospital (CCHMC) and the University of Cincinnati (UC) campus

7 What do we do at CCHMC? We have offices in the Division of Human Genetics Our clinical rotations are based here We take classes specific to Genetic Counseling: Introduction to Genetic Counseling Research Design Advanced Genetic Counseling Issues We take classes in the division with other health professionals: Topics in Clinical Genomics Clinical Embryology Human Genetics

8 What do we do at UC? We are UC students in the College of Allied Health Sciences We take classes with other UC graduate students: Epidemiology Clinical Genomics Counseling Pre-Practicum We have all UC student privileges

9 How is our program set up? It is a month program (7-8 academic quarters) consisting of: Academic classes Clinical rotations Summer clinical internship Master s thesis project Additional opportunities

10 What are our classes like? Small class sizes (12-20 people) Taught by physicians, researchers and genetic counselors Integrated with doctoral students, nursing students, genetics residents and fellows and other counseling students

11 How are clinical rotations set up? Clinical rotations begin in the first quarter By the end of training we will have rotated through 12 unique clinical settings Most clinical rotations are based here at CCHMC Other clinic sites are in the Cincinnati tri-state area We work individually with clinical supervisors throughout our training to develop skills one by one Course work and clinical experiences are integrated throughout training

12 Clinical experiences Prenatal / Pre-conception Life Magazine 1999 We work with families planning pregnancies and expecting parents whose babies are at high risk for genetic conditions The Fetal Care Center at CCHMC is the only one of its kind in the Midwest that offers a complete range of services, from prenatal diagnosis through fetal interventions, including open fetal surgery

13 Clinical experiences Pediatric genetics We work with children and teenagers suspected of having a genetic condition We work in general genetics and several specialty clinics: Biochemical Genetics Lysosomal Storage Connective Tissue & Skeletal Dysplasia Craniofacial Anomaly Team Cardiovascular Genetic Research Clinic Neurofibromatosis Muscular Dystrophy Sickle Cell Spina Bifida Hemophilia Cystic Fibrosis Down Syndrome Tuberous Sclerosis William s Syndrome Marfan s and EDS

14 Clinical experiences Adult genetics We work with men and women with a genetic condition or who have a family history of a genetic condition CCHMC is a regional genetics center and we see a large variety of patients from all over the region Adult clinics include: Hereditary cancer Huntington s Disease General adult genetics

15 What is our summer internship? We complete a full-time summer internship between first and second years of the program (typically 6 weeks) We are strongly encouraged to work at a genetics center in a different area of the state or country During this internship we assume an active role as a counselor to refine our skills in an area of our interest

16 Where have our students gone in the past for summer internships?

17 What is a Master s thesis? Major independent research project Topics are chosen by the students based on experience and interest Topics may be generated by faculty or students Completed under the guidance of an experienced research mentor and advisory team Results in a manuscript ready for publication in a peer reviewed journal and/or presentation at a national conference

18 Past Thesis topics include Family health history: risk and intent to share with a healthcare provider in an urban Appalachian population Communicating BRCA1/2 Test Results: Impact of Telephone versus In-Person Disclosure of Results Pediatrician Knowledge and Application of Advanced Paternal Age Information The Prevalence of Sleep Disturbance and Pain and the Association with Quality of Life in Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Presenting Genetic Counseling as a Career Option in High School: A Shared Responsibility Between Teachers and Genetic Counselors Assessing the Clinical Utility of a Hearing Loss Microarray

19 Additional Opportunities Online course options Molecular and Developmental Biology Program affiliation PFF Preparing Future Faculty LEND Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

20 What do students do after graduation? Graduates are prepared to work in a variety of settings 100% of students are employed following graduation UC graduates are currently working at centers all over the country Pass rate for UC graduates taking the board certification exam is above the national average

21 A Variety of Settings Traditional clinical genetics Laboratory/industry Public health Research Education Private practice

22 100% Job Placement Cedar Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT Emory University, Atlanta, GA Hawaii Department of Health, Honolulu, HI Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN John's Hopkins Hospital, Bethesda, MD National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD Children's Hospital of Boston, Boston, MA Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH Baylor College of Medicine, Webster, TX MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX Myriad Laboratories, Salt Lake City, UT Genetics Northwest, Bellingham, WA Wisconsin Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, CA

23 2007 National Board Certification Exam General Section Genetic Counseling Section National Pass Rate 90.6% 84.4% UC Pass Rate 100% 95%

24 Why should you come to UC for GC? We have excellent and accessible faculty and supervisors who are leaders in their field We have the advantages of affiliation with a major university (UC) and a top tier pediatric hospital (CCHMC) We have the opportunity to see patients from all over the region in a variety of specialty and general clinics Through rigorous coursework, extensive clinical experience, and a guided research project we are well prepared to enter and contribute to the field of genetic counseling!

25 Admissions Statistics Current enrollment: 10 full time and 1 part time student In Fall 2009 we will accept 8 new first year students

26 Admission Requirements UC Graduate School Application and fee Bachelor s degree and transcripts Essay/personal statement 3 Letters of recommendation GREs taken within the last 5 years Application Deadline: FEBRUARY 1 st

27 Tuition Fees In-state cost per year: around $13,590 Out-of-state cost per year: around $24,624 Modest Midwest cost of living

28 Financial Aid In-state residency in 2 nd year Most students receive tuition scholarships Teaching assistantships Part time campus jobs related to genetics or genetic counseling

29 GOOD LUCK! University of Cincinnati Genetic Counseling Program

30 Questions you may have What is it like living in Cincinnati? What is the interview process like? How did you choose which programs to apply to or interview at? How many programs did you apply to? What do you like most about your program? What is different about being in this program than being in undergrad?