The de-coders: A historical perspective of the genetic counseling profession

The genetic counseling profession is a relatively new medical specialty that has evolved over time in keeping with advanced in the medical genetics field. Genetic counselors are master's-level trained individuals who apply their skills to assist patients in understanding the genetic etiology of disease, assessing risk for genetic disease, and providing support to those who are encountering a genetic disorder in themselves or family member. Formal training of genetic counselors began nearly 50 years, and since then, the field has been expanding and advancing. Defining the tenets and practice of the genetic counseling profession has also similarly changed over time; however, the core guiding principles of the profession have remained rooted in the concept of patient autonomy and client-centered care. Competency in the field is achieved by successfully graduating from an accredited master's-level training program in which the curriculum is based on standards set forth by the Accreditation Council of Genetic Counseling. Curricula are developed so that trainees are exposed to didactic work, hands-on clinical fieldwork, and research so that at the end of one's training they have become competent in The Practice Based Competencies that have been established for the profession. Upon graduation, genetic counselors find themselves working in a number of professional settings and subspecialties in genetics. As the underlying genetic cause of disease has become clearer, the areas in which genetic counselors practice have expanded and allows for diverse clinical practice. The profession has, and will, continue to adapt along with the advances in molecular genetics.