Employment

Northwestern graduates find employment all across the country, and the majority of our students have secured a job prior to graduation. Students benefit from graduating in March, when the job market is less saturated with new graduates. The program faculty are committed to helping students succeed in their job search by offering resume writing workshops, Q&A panels with new graduates, and practice interview sessions. Many students also have the opportunity to interview for jobs at the NSGC annual educational conference in their second year.

Below, several recent Northwestern graduates share their first job experience:

Ashley VanDenBoom, Class of 2008

I work at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN in the Department of Medical Genetics. I did one of my summer rotations at Mayo and started my job here as soon as I graduated. I mainly specialize in cancer counseling, and see patients in both the Genetics Department and the Breast Clinic. In addition, I counsel patients for a wide variety of indications in our department - everything from cystic fibrosis to Huntington disease to pre-conception and prenatal counseling. I definitely feel like my education at Northwestern prepared me to handle such a wide variety of cases. I like the fact that I'm never bored and that patients come from all over the world to be seen in our clinic. One of the other things I love about working at Mayo is that we have approximately 20 genetic counselors and about 30 consultants boarded in Genetics, all working in a variety of departments. I always feel like I'm surrounded by experts!

Erin Riggs, Class of 2007

I began working for Emory University’s Department of Human Genetics in March 2007. As part of my job, I work with two other counselors and three clinical geneticists coordinating a large general pediatric genetics clinic. I assist in the evaluation of children referred to our clinic, in addition to organizing testing and other medical follow-up. Through this clinic, I recruit patients and collect samples for a variety of interdepartmental and national research studies, such as the Simons Simplex Collection, a national study collecting information and samples on children with autism and their families. The other portion of my job involves working with the Emory Lysosomal Storage Disease Center (LSDC). Though our center provides care for over 200 patients with various lysosomal storage diseases, I specifically work with Pompe and mucopolysaccharidosis patients, ensuring that their medical care, including enzyme replacement therapy, if applicable, is properly coordinated. In addition to patient care, I am also involved in various clinical trials for the lysosomal storage diseases; our center recruits for and manages trials investigating new therapies for these disorders. I feel that my experience at Northwestern prepared me for my role at Emory by exposing me to a wide variety of clinical settings through my rotations, as well as by holding its students up to rigorous standards. With this experience, I was able to transition comfortably to a fast-paced job with ever-changing responsibilities.

Amy Daly, Class of 2007

I work at Johns Hopkins in the Division of Cardiology in a specialized clinical and research program dedicated to an inherited cardiomyopathy called Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia (ARVD). In clinic, I work with patients referred for evaluation as they go through the process of receiving a diagnosis, learning about the treatment options, and genetic testing. I find being at a specialized center for a rare condition to be very rewarding since it has given me the opportunity to develop long-term relationships with patients, which helps with continuity of their care. As part of the on-going research at Johns Hopkins, I enroll patients in the ARVD research projects, assist with data collection and management, and facilitate the release of research genetic test results with clinical confirmation. A large part of my time is spent in preparation and follow-up for clinical visits, as well as providing genetic counseling to patients by phone for those unable to make the trip to Baltimore. I credit my diverse clinical internship experience at Northwestern with helping me discover the genetic counseling specialty that suited my interests. I most enjoy the autonomy and flexibility of my role within the ARVD Program, and my job continues to be an educational experience about cardiology, genetics, and the unique needs of our patient population.

Amber Trivedi, Class of 2005

I am a genetic counselor in the Division of Reproductive Genetics at Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation. I provide genetic risk assessment for patients at risk for hereditary cancer, perform reproductive genetic counseling, and coordinate hereditary cancer research protocols. My patient population includes participants in the Northwestern Ovarian Cancer Early Detection and Prevention Program, which is a clinical and research protocol that provides ovarian cancer screening and risk assessment for women at high risk for the disease. I also serve on the faculty of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and participate in the training of genetic counseling interns, medical students and residents.