The Genetic Counseling Graduate Program is a collaborative program offered by the UAB School of Health Professions that engages faculty in the School of Medicine's Department of Genetics and the School of Education's Counselor Education Program to provide comprehensive educational and clinical training in the field of genetic counseling. The program is the only Genetic Counseling program in Alabama and one of the few in this region of the country. The program has received provisional accreditation as a new program from the American Board of Genetic Counseling.
Students in the program have access to state of the art medical facilities including the UAB Medical Center, the UAB Women and Infant's Hospital and the Children's Hospital of Alabama. This provides a wide variety of clinical training experiences and a diverse patient population. Student instruction utilizes internationally recognized genetics and teaching faculty to provide a wide-ranging and exciting education in the field of genetic counseling.
The first class of students in the UAB Genetic Counseling Program was enrolled in fall 2010. We are actively seeking prospective students with a strong interest in the field of genetics and genetic counseling (UAB Graduate School on-line application). Students have the unique opportunity to work with the program faculty to shape the program to maximize the variety of genetic resources available at UAB.
UAB offers a 21 month full time university based curriculum. All students are admitted in the fall of each academic year and proceed through the program as a group. The first two semesters are didactic coursework in the areas of genetics, genetic counseling principles and process, pediatric, cancer, prenatal genetics supported by clinical exposure in each area. Students will also participate in ethics and research methods courses during their first year. Clinical rotations for the program begin in the summer following the successful completion of the first year. The second year of the curriculum includes extensive clinical training, graduate project development, completion and didactic coursework in research and laboratory genetic counseling, advanced genetic counseling principles and practice, and ethical issues in genetics.
Graduates will be well prepared for roles in traditional clinical settings as well as emerging areas of genetic counseling such as research and laboratory based genetic counseling.
Genetic Counseling Ranked "Best Careers" by U.S. News and World Report
Genetic Counseling has been ranked on the "Best Careers" listing of the U.S. News and World Report for three consecutive years because it is a profession that offers growth potential, high satisfaction, and innovative career opportunities.
For additional information contact R. Lynn Holt, MS, CGC, UAB Genetic Counseling Program Director at (205) 934-4863 or msgc@uab.edu.