What You'll Do

  • Analyze genetic information to identify patients or families at risk for specific disorders or syndromes.
  • Explain diagnostic procedures such as chorionic villus sampling (CVS), ultrasound, fetal blood sampling, and amniocentesis.
  • Provide genetic counseling in specified areas of clinical genetics, such as obstetrics, pediatrics, oncology and neurology.
  • Assess patients' psychological or emotional needs, such as those relating to stress, fear of test results, financial issues, and marital conflicts to make referral recommendations or assist patients in managing test outcomes.
  • Provide counseling to patient and family members by providing information, education, or reassurance.
  • Determine or coordinate treatment plans by requesting laboratory services, reviewing genetics or counseling literature, and considering histories or diagnostic data.
  • Discuss testing options and the associated risks, benefits and limitations with patients and families to assist them in making informed decisions.
  • Interpret laboratory results and communicate findings to patients or physicians.
  • Interview patients or review medical records to obtain comprehensive patient or family medical histories, and document findings.
  • Provide patients with information about the inheritance of conditions such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and various forms of cancer.

Essential Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.12/5
Active Listening 4.12/5
Writing 4.0/5
Speaking 4.0/5
Critical Thinking 4.0/5
Active Learning 4.0/5
Social Perceptiveness 4.0/5
Complex Problem Solving 4.0/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.38/5
Learning Strategies 3.12/5
Coordination 3.12/5
Instructing 3.12/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.
  • Helper: Supporting people and making a difference matters to you.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.

Common styles

Attention to Detail, Empathy, Dependability, Cooperation, Intellectual Curiosity

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 4.12/5
Oral Expression 4.12/5
Written Comprehension 4.0/5
Written Expression 4.0/5
Problem Sensitivity 4.0/5
Deductive Reasoning 4.0/5
Inductive Reasoning 4.0/5
Speech Recognition 4.0/5

Technologies & Tools

Ftree Pedigree drawing and management software Database software FileMaker Pro Microsoft Access Microsoft Outlook Web browser software Benetech PRA BRCAPRO Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool CancerGene CyrillicSoftware Cyrillic Jurek Software Pedigree-Draw Medgen PED PedHunter PediDraw Progeny Software Progeny Clinical Prognosis Innovation Healthcare ChartAccess SynDiag Wageningen MapChart

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 5.0/5)
  • Empathy (High importance: 5.0/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.77/5)
  • Cooperation (High importance: 4.7/5)
  • Intellectual Curiosity (High importance: 4.69/5)

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How to Become One

This career requires extensive preparation, typically including a graduate degree (Master's or Doctoral) and several years of experience. Most professionals in this field have invested significant time in education and training.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Cancer Genetic Counselor Cancer Program Consultant Cardiovascular Genetics Counselor Certified Genetic Counselor (CGC) Chromosomal Disorders Counselor Clinical Genetic Counselor Clinical Reviewer Genetic Coordinator Genetic Counseling Medical Specialist Genetic Services Coordinator Hereditary Cancer Program Coordinator Lab Genetic Counselor (Laboratory Genetic Counselor) Medical Science Liaison Mitochondrial Disorders Counselor Pediatric Genetic Counselor Pediatric Genetics Clinical Coordinator Prenatal Genetic Counselor Reproductive Genetic Counseling Coordinator

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.