Genetic counseling programs prepare people to counsel patients dealing with, or at risk for, genetic disorders or birth defects. Students learn medical genetics. They learn to assess inheritance patterns and risks. They also learn counseling and interviewing skills.

Have you ever looked at a male friend, then at his father and thought, Wow! He's the spitting image of his dad. Or, maybe you know a girl who doesn't look much like either of her parents. Maybe her nose is similar to her mother's, and she's tall like her father, but overall she looks like her aunt. How does this happen anyway? How do people get the nose gene from their mothers and the height gene from their fathers? What about more serious predispositions, such as depression or cystic fibrosis? How are those genes passed on? How can you find out if you are a "carrier"? If you are, what can be done about it?

With continual discoveries in science and medicine, many chromosomes for birth defects, diseases, and disorders have been identified. This makes it possible to test people to see if they have the gene for a specific disease, if their children are carriers, or if they will have the disease themselves.

Genetic counselors help individuals, couples, and families figure out if they are at risk for passing on certain diseases or traits. With a combination of training in genetics, biology, and counseling, genetic counselors help people decide what to do if they or their child has a certain gene for a genetic disorder or disease. They also help people cope with the news and make adjustments to their life. For example, it is normal for parents to be shocked, angry, and grief-stricken when they learn their baby has cystic fibrosis. Genetic counselors help the parents figure out who carries the chromosome, what life is like for a child with CF, what medicines the child will need, and how to manage their emotions.

Genetic counselors usually work at university medical centers, hospitals, and private clinics. They work with doctors, nurses, scientists, and social workers to provide complete medical care. In some cases, genetic counselors devote their time to research, teaching, or policy analysis.

In genetic counseling programs, you take courses in many different fields of study, including biology, medicine, law, and psychology. You also take courses in scientific research and statistics. You learn about genetic disorders and diseases, the way genes are passed from parent to child, and a variety of counseling techniques. You also learn about ethical and legal problems related to genetics, such as cloning.

You can become a genetic counselor by completing a two-year master's degree program after you finish your bachelor's degree. There are about 15 genetic counseling programs in the U.S. Because genetic science is constantly advancing, it is expected that other schools will add genetic counseling programs in the near future.