Genetic Counselors’ and Genetic Counseling Students’ Attitudes Around the Clinical Doctorate and Other Advanced Educational Options for Genetic Counselors: A Report from the Genetic Counseling Advanced Degree Task Force

Abstract

Since its establishment over 40 years ago, the genetic counseling profession has grown to an estimated ~4,000 professionals in North America. While the profession has maintained the Master's degree as the entry-level and terminal degree, many other allied health professions have added advanced training pathways, such as the clinical doctorate (ClinD) either as an optional post-professional degree or required entry-level degree. Discussions regarding advanced degrees have also occurred within the genetic counseling profession, dating back to as early as the 1980s. In 2011, the Genetic Counseling Advanced Degree Task Force (GCADTF) was convened to explore the issue again, with the goal of "[engaging] all of the professional leadership organizations in the field of genetic counseling in a decision-making process about whether the profession should move to a Clinical Doctorate". As part of their work, the GCADTF surveyed practicing genetic counselors (n = 4,321) and genetic counseling students (n = 522) in the US and Canada regarding their interest in moving to the ClinD as the entry-level degree. This survey also included questions about other options for advanced training to generate data to inform future discussions around this very important professional issue. Herein, we describe the results of the survey, with particular attention to genetic counselor preferences for additional advanced education/certification opportunities and recommendations for future discussion.

Developing a Model of Advanced Training to Promote Career Advancement for Certified Genetic Counselors: An Investigation of Expanded Skills, Advanced Training Paths, and Professional Opportunities

“…As part of the evaluation process, the GCADTF surveyed practicing genetic counselors and genetic counseling students to gain their perspectives (Nagy et al 2014). An online survey was emailed to genetic counselors who were members of the NSGC, members of the CAGC, or diplomats of the ABGC, and to the current students (at that time) in genetic counseling programs in the US and Canada.…”

“…Concerns included that the ClinD would not result in increased recognition or increased salaries, that it could harm current legislative efforts (state licensure and federal recognition), that it would create a two-tiered system that would devalue the master's degree, and the potential that experienced genetic counselors might choose to leave the profession rather than obtain the advanced degree. Barriers that could prevent a successful transition to an entry level ClinD included the expense associated with creating the ClinD programs and for individual genetic counselors to pay for an additional degree, and personal challenges of pursuing an additional degree (Nagy et al 2014).…”

“…Thus, there seems to be a clear need to develop and implement mechanisms for career advancement in genetic counseling. In particular, the GCADTF recommended that the profession further explore opportunities for advanced training, including but not limited to the ClinD, determine what specific types of knowledge and training might benefit genetic counselors and how this training might be offered, and identify ways to support genetic counselors to recognize and pursue career advancement opportunities, such as through the development of career ladders (Nagy et al 2014).…”

Put Yourself at the Helm: Charting New Territory, Correcting Course, and Weathering the Storm of Career Trajectories

“…Our genetic counselor readers might recall that several years ago, genetic counseling professional organizations explored the possibility of introducing a clinical doctorate as an entry-level degree for genetic counselors. The conclusion of these discussions was to uphold the master's degree as the sole entry-level degree, yet emphasis was placed on the importance of sustaining a conversation about continuing professional education for practicing genetic counselors (Nagy et al 2014;Reiser et al 2015). In response to this, The Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors initiated the Committee on Advanced Training for Certified Genetic Counselors (CATCGC) and charged this committee with exploring a range of advanced training options for certified genetic counselors and disseminating findings to the genetic counseling community (Baty 2014;Reiser et al 2015).…”

Genetic counseling: Growth of the profession and the professional

“…As genetic counselor career paths have expanded, there has been much discussion about genetic counselor training (Baty et al, ; Hooker et al, ; Ingvoldstad et al, ; Nagy et al, ; Reiser et al, ). Master's level genetic counselor educational programs have been closely monitored by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) and Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC), with robust program requirements that have changed to keep up with new developments in the field.…”