The genetic associate: a new health professional

Sarah Lawrence College has pioneered a masters program to train Genetic Associates. The Genetic Associate is a new category of allied health professional in clinical genetics. Trained to offer coordinative and supportive care to the patient with potential or actual genetic disease, Genetic Associates are potential providers of unmet health needs in the developing field of human genetics. There are 56 graduates of this program employed in 12 states and one foreign country. This paper describes the curriculum, the students, and a preliminary evaluation of Genetic Associates' performance as members of the health care team.