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Brief Overview of the Curriculum:

The Genetic Counseling curriculum is a very carefully structured sequence of courses and clinical practicums scheduled over approximately 21 months. The courses include:

  • Science Courses:

    • Human Genetics (molecular emphasis)
    • Clinical Genetics
    • Biochemical Genetics
    • Human Cytogenetics
    • Cancer Genetics
    • Embryology and Teratogenesis
    • Medical Genetics Seminar
    • Literature Search and Analysis in Genetics

  • Counseling Courses:

    • Theory and Practice of Interviewing
    • Family Stress and Coping
    • Field Unit Seminars (These seminars focus on issues of service delivery, client needs, professional development, counseling methods, case presentations and discussions of the clinical rotations, advanced counseling skills, grant writing, professional roles, etc.)
    • Contemporary Professional Issues (This 4-semester course covers a variety of issues related to counseling in genetics: legal, ethical, cultural, psychosocial, and emotional issues; and issues related to genetic disease: development, pregnancy, prenatal and neonatal loss.)

  • Field Practicums (counseling experience):

    The clinic rotations are supervised by genetic counselors who are certified by the American Board of Genetic Counselors, and by clinical geneticists who are certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics.

    • The first-year practicum in genetic counseling is designed to acquaint the student with the basic practice skills required, protocols used, and professional issues encountered in genetic counseling. Clinical experiences in a variety of specialty clinics provide opportunities for initial development of skills in interviewing, data collection, and counseling. Each trainee participates in clinical experiences in each of the following sites:
      • Biochemical Genetics Clinic
      • General Genetics Clinic
      • Muscular Dystrophy Clinic
      • Bone Dysplasia Clinic
      • Outreach Clinic at a satellite site
      • Cystic Fibrosis Clinic
      • Laboratory Sites (cytogenetic, molecular and newborn screening)
    • The second-year practicum is an integrated program of clinical experiences consisting of five eight-week rotations which take place during the intervening summer and each semester of the second year. The advanced practicum provides many opportunities for trainees to work toward perfecting skills in counseling, interviewing, data collection, case coordination, and in ongoing care of families with genetic concerns. Clinics that students rotate through are as follows:
      • Comprehensive Breast and Gyn Oncology Clinic
      • Pre-Natal Diagnosis Clinics
      • Wisconsin Clinical Genetics Center
      • Wisconsin Teratogen Project
      • Outreach and specialty clinics in Eau Claire, Neenah, Milwaukee, and Green Bay that include the Sickle Cell Clinic and Neurofibromatosis Clinic

  • Research Requirement:

    All students enroll for three research credits during the second year of the program, and work under the direction of a research professor toward the goal of producing a publishable research or other project that contributes to the body of knowledge of the discipline.

  • Other Program Requirements:

    A comprehensive written final examination, similar to the certification examination of the American Board of Genetic Counseling.