Genetic Counseling Masters Program Information
For further information, please contact Marj Haanstad of Genetics Graduate Admissions.
Introduction from the Director
It is with pleasure that I welcome you to our Web site and introduce you to the Genetic Counseling Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Genetic counseling is an exciting and relatively young profession that combines advanced education in human, molecular, and medical genetics with skills and experience in counseling.
Genetic counselors are health professionals with specialized graduate degrees and experience in the areas of medical genetics and counseling. Most enter the field from a variety of disciplines, including biology, genetics, nursing, psychology, public health, and social work.
Genetic counselors work as members of a health care team, providing information and support to families who have members with birth defects or genetic disorders and to families who may be at risk for a variety of inherited conditions. They identify families at risk, investigate the problem present in the family, interpret information about the disorder, analyze inheritance patterns and risks of recurrence, and review available options with the family.
Genetic counselors also provide supportive counseling to families, serve as patient advocates, and refer individuals and families to community or state support services. They serve as educators and resource people for other health care professionals and for the general public. Some counselors also work in administrative capacities. Many engage in research activities related to the field of medical genetics and genetic counseling.
--NSGC Web site
If you wish further information about careers in genetic counseling, you may contact the National Society of Genetic Counselors Executive Office at 233 Canterbury Drive, Wallingford, PA, 19086-6617.
The University of Wisconsin offers a Masters degree in Medical Genetics specifically designed to train genetic counselors. We hope that after you read the information that follows, you will find that our program meets your needs.
Madison
Madison, a city of about 200,000, is the state capitol and Wisconsin's second largest city. It is consistently ranked as one of the most desirable American cities in which to live. Three lakes are located in the city: Lake Mendota, Lake Monona, and Lake Wingra. The University of Wisconsin-Madison campus is located on Lake Mendota on acres of rolling hills and scattered woods. Both the city and the University sponsor numerous concerts, recitals, fairs, plays, and sporting events. Madison also offers a large variety of high quality restaurants.
For more information, check out our Web page on the campus and community and see why Madison continues to rank as one of the best places to live in the U.S.
The University
The University of Wisconsin-Madison ranks among the nation's top universities. It receives more research and development funds from all sources and more funds from non-military sources than any other public university in the U.S. Its faculty and former faculty include 11 Nobel Laureates, 45 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 7 National Medals of Science, 13 Pulitzer Prizes, 33 Presidential Young Investigator Awards, and 2 Hughes Investigators.
UW-Madison has one of the largest university biological research communities in the world, with over 700 faculty, 1,500 academic staff, 700 postdoctoral fellows, 2,500 graduate students, and thousands of undergraduates. Many of the biological departments at UW-Madison are ranked among the top few in the country: such departments include Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Plant Pathology, Oncology, Chemical Engineering, Genetics, Forestry, Biomolecular Chemistry, and Bacteriology. In addition, UW-Madison houses a number of internationally recognized research centers and facilities, including the Institute for Enzyme Chemistry, Biotechnology Center, UW Comprehensive Cancer Center, Center for Dairy Research, Food Research Institute, Integrated Microscopy Resource, Institute for Environmental Studies, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility, and the Biotron.
Because of the large number of excellent faculty and the unusually good interactions and communication among departments, UW-Madison provides a superb intellectual environment in which to develop and pursue a research career in the biological sciences.
For more information, see the University of Wisconsin Web pages and the home page of the Graduate School.
Genetics at Wisconsin
The Laboratory of Genetics is the oldest and one of the finest genetics centers in the nation. It is highly regarded for its research contributions in the areas of plant genetics, population genetics, developmental genetics, molecular genetics, immunogenetics, neurogenetics, cytogenetics, viral genetics, bacterial genetics, mammalian genetics, behavioral genetics, and medical genetics. The Laboratory consists of two departments: Genetics, in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences; and Medical Genetics, in the School of Medicine. Although they are administratively distinct, these two departments function as one at both the faculty and student levels.
Genetic Counseling at Wisconsin
Students admitted to graduate study in Medical Genetics at UW-Madison gain counseling skills and a genetic knowledge base that prepares them for the genetic counseling profession. The curriculum includes a carefully structured sequence of courses and practicum experiences in clinical genetics and counseling that are scheduled over approximately 21 months. Students participate in specially designed courses offered through the Departments of Medical Genetics, Genetics, and other departments. Clinical skills are acquired by active participation in diverse clinical rotations throughout both years of training. Upon completion of the program, students will have earned an M.S. degree in Medical Genetics and will have fulfilled the requirements necessary to sit for the national certifying exam sponsored by the American Board of Genetic Counseling.
The Genetic Counseling Program at UW-Madison has trained over 100 counselors since its inception in 1976. Greater than 96% of them have attained certification by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) and are employed in over sixty clinical settings in the United States and Canada. A few graduates have gone on to medical school or other doctoral programs. We admit only four or five applicants each year to assure that each student has a stimulating experience and an adequate number of active cases to qualify for ABGC certification. Clinical experiences are supervised by ABGC certified Genetic Counselors and Medical Geneticists who are certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics. The program is accredited by the American Board of Genetic Counseling.
The Genetic Counseling curriculum option has been developed over the past 23 years and reflects many changes made to respond to student and faculty experience, as well as to new advances in genetic medicine. We intend to continually change and update our proposed course of study as genetic medicine and the genetic counseling profession continue to evolve. For further or more current information, please contact:
Catherine Reiser MS
CGC
Genetic Counseling Program Director
333 Waisman
Center
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1500 Highland Avenue
Madison, WI 53705
(608) 262-9722
Admissions
Acceptance for graduate study in Medical Genetics requires approval by the Graduate School and by the Medical Genetics Department. Students who enter graduate work in medical genetics should have a strong background in cell and molecular biology, basic genetics, biochemistry, and one semester of calculus or statistics. Statistics is highly recommended and courses in human anatomy and embryology have been found to be very desirable.
We prefer that these course requirements are completed before undertaking graduate study; otherwise, the deficiencies should be remedied as soon as possible. Applicants who have earned high grades in genetics courses that are evaluated to be comparable to the graduate-level basic genetics course offered at UW-Madison will begin the Genetic Counseling Program with entry level courses; other applicants are required to complete Genetics 466 with a grade of at least B prior to the first fall semester of the two-year program.
Application
Applications for admission are evaluated by the Genetic Counseling Admissions Committee of the Medical Genetics Department. Selection for a mandatory preadmission interview is based on a careful review of the complete file of the applicant that includes the application, the applicant's description of personal experiences and reasons for applying for study in genetic counseling, transcripts, overall grade point average, grade point average in science courses completed, percentile scores on graduate record examinations, and letters of recommendation.
We require the verbal, quantitative, and analytical-writing sections of the general GRE, and the advanced subject GRE in biology or your undergraduate major. We prefer that letters of recommendation are written by teachers, supervisors of advocacy experiences, or researchers. To help us with the difficult task of assessing your potential as a genetic counselor, you must submit a written statement that summarizes your perception of what a genetic counselor does, your reasons for choosing this field of study, and your assessment of yourself as a potential genetic counselor. Be sure to include a description of any related experiences, volunteer or paid, that you feel have prepared you for this profession. The essay should be no longer than three pages. Be aware that admission to master's degree programs in genetic counseling is very competitive nationally. Most programs receive 7 to 10 applications for each place available in their program. We carefully evaluate your statement for indications of sincere maturity (which is not a simple reflection of age). Please prepare your statement thoughtfully.
The final admissions selection will be made from among those applicants who are invited to and complete an interview.
For more complete details about the admission process and requirements, please request an application packet from
Genetic Counseling Admissions
University of Wisconsin-Madison
118 Genetics Building
445 Henry Mall
Madison, WI 53706
Cost of Study & Financial Aid
COST
OF STUDY: We realize that the cost of graduate training is
high, especially for out-of-state residents. Although we have no
financial aid specifically designated for people in the M.S.
curriculum in Genetic Counseling, students are often successful in
finding student hourly jobs in areas related to genetics, or in
obtaining teaching assistantships on a semester basis.
Housing
The University maintains unfurnished apartments on campus near Lake Mendota for married graduate students. Four graduate dormitories are also available. Most students select from a wide variety of rooms and apartments that are available in Madison off campus where rates vary considerably. Information on off-campus housing may be obtained from the Campus Assistance and Visitor Center. You may also find it helpful to visit the Web page of the Student Information Handbook.
