The primary focus of the graduate program is to develop the skills necessary
to practice genetic counseling. Overall, the program will provide each student
with the appropriate knowledge and experience to become a sensitive, creative,
independent, and competent genetic counselor. Upon graduation, each student
is expected to demonstrate
* Knowledge of genetics, including the molecular basis of inheritance, quantitative
genetics, and principles of risk assessment, and an understanding of the etiology
and natural history of common genetic disorders
* Ability to conduct a genetic counseling session by assessing the client's/family's
needs, concerns, and genetic risks; communicating appropriate genetic and medical
information; and assisting the family in obtaining necessary services and support
* Skills in case management, including written communication to clients and
referring health professionals
* Awareness of local, state, and national resources designed to assist patients
and professionals
* Knowledge of the stages of pregnancy and child development (both normal and
abnormal) and their impact on the family
* Familiarity with genetic literature, including the ability to perform library
research, critically evaluate journal articles, and assist in clinical research
* Knowledge of genetic counseling principles and the related ethical and legal
issues
* Psychosocial and ethnocultural sensitivity to families or individuals with
genetic disorders
* Awareness of his or her strengths and weaknesses as a genetic counselor
First Year Curriculum
Second Year Curriculum
Fall 2007
Introduction to Genetic Counseling (GENET CN 401)
This course is designed to give students an introduction to the history and
practice of genetic counseling. Genetic counseling skills, the genetic counseling
process, family history elicitation and interpretation, prenatal diagnosis,
first-and second-trimester screening, pregnancy termination, pediatric and
adult genetic counseling, and case documentation are discussed.
Psychosocial Aspects of Genetic Counseling I (GENET CN 411)
This is an introductory course on the psychosocial elements of genetic counseling.
In the course, we explore people as psychological beings. The process of human
development and the individual in the context of family and other relationships
are reviewed. Interviewing and counseling techniques are studied as a dynamic
process involving interviewer and interviewee. Students begin to integrate
an individualized approach to genetic counseling involving theories of human
development and counseling.
Communication Skills (part of Physician, Patient, Society course
for M-I students)
A unit within the first year medical student curriculum, this course offers
an active-learning approach to the basic clinical skills of communication
and diagnostic reasoning using non-genetics based medical cases. Students
participate in video-taped encounters with standardized patient actors, and
receive feedback from peers, the SP, and the course facilitator; this is supplemented
by a discussion with a facilitator about basic communication skills and active
processing of the strengths and weaknesses of each interaction to encourage
critical thinking and reflection.
Principles of Human Genetics (GENET CN 420-1)
This course is the first of a three-quarter series and provides the foundation
and background in medical genetics essential for effective genetic counseling,
including basic and complex principles of human heredity. The course uses
problem-based learning scenarios, supplemented by lectures, reviews, and computer
based examinations. The course covers principles of cytogenetics, molecular
technologies, modes of inheritance, and principles of mathematical and population
genetics.
Developmental Disabilities and Chronic Illness: The Child, the Adult,
and the Family (GENET CN 414)
This course includes first- and second-year students and explores the impact
of chronic illness or developmental disabilities on the individual and family.
The primary focus is on genetic disorders. The impact of the illness and disability
are understood through developmental and family perspectives. Counseling issues
and the psychological ramifications of illness and disability are explored.
Clinical Practicum
The genetic counseling practicum occurs over three quarters, and allows students
to practice components of the genetic counseling session in a safe environment;
observations are also scheduled during the fall quarter. During the fall quarter
the genetic counseling practicum focuses on communicating basic genetic information,
and throughout the year it moves towards higher level counseling skills. Role
plays are conducted with fellow students and faculty members.
Winter 2007
Introduction to Epidemiology (PUB HLTH 304)
This course is an introduction to epidemiology and its uses. Course topics
include measures of disease occurrence, common sources and types of data,
important study designs and sources of error in epidemiologic studies, and
epidemiologic methods.
Adult Genetics: Cancer Genetics and Beyond
This course, recently expanded from a 5 week cancer unit, now includes information
about the clinical and genetic features of various cancers, an introduction
to adult onset complex genetics and statistical genetics, and exposure to
various other adult onset disorders (e.g. cardiology, dementia, psychiatric
illness). Areas of risk communication and risk perception are also addressed.
The course is meant to augment, rather than duplicate, the materials and skills
developed through the respective clinical rotations.
Introduction to Clinical Genetics (GENET CN 402)
The second in the three-quarter series, this course gives an overview of common
genetic disorders and is presented by experts in each area. Lectures focus
on the medical approaches to clinical genetics, including embryology and dysmorphology,
teratology, and a variety of genetic diseases. The application of medical
and genetic information to genetic counseling of families is also addressed.
As in the previous quarter, the course uses problem-based learning scenarios,
supplemented by lectures, reviews, and examinations.
Clinical Rotation and Practicum
(See rotation descriptions and description
of Practicum above).
Spring 2007
Psychosocial Aspects of Genetic Counseling II:
Clinical Issues Throughout the Lifecycle (GENET CN 412)
This course focuses on the psychological and clinical aspects of pregnancy,
infancy, childhood, and adulthood. Both normal processes and abnormal processes
are explored, e.g., pregnancy loss, prenatal diagnosis of a genetic abnormality,
and the birth of an affected child. Role play and class discussion, combined
with analysis of relevant literature, allow students to integrate genetic
practice with theory.
Advanced Principles of Human Genetics (GENET CN 420-3)
The goal of this course is to educate the student on biochemical genetics,
neurogenetics, and treatment of genetic disease. As with the previous two
courses in the series, a combination of problem-based learning, lectures,
reviews, and examinations are used.
Research Seminar (GENET CN 421)
In this seminar, the student develops his/her research proposal. Course work
includes background in both quantitative and qualitative research methods,
proposal development, the IRB process, and grant-writing and publication issues.
Clinical Rotation and Practicum
(See rotation descriptions and description
of Practicum above).
Summer 2007
Clinical Rotation (3)
(See rotation descriptions)
Research Project (1)
Students continue to work on a research project
according to a time line determined by the program director; primary activities
over the summer include finalizing the project protocol, obtaining IRB approval,
and completing a rigorous literature review.
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Fall 2008
Advanced Genetic Counseling Case Conference (GENET CN 413)
This class enhances counseling skills through formal case presentations followed
by class discussion. It is also an opportunity to share students' summer clinical
experiences so that we may all learn from them. The class has three components:
case/process note presentations, outside observations of resources for genetic
counseling clients, and class discussion. Through the use of tape recordings,
process notes, assigned readings by students, and verbal presentations, students
share cases, which are critiqued by fellow students and faculty members. Emphasis
is on specific genetic counseling issues selected by students and faculty members.
Students observe community resources that may be used by genetic counseling
clients and prepare written and verbal reports for the class. A final paper
entails detailed exploration of a complex genetic counseling case not discussed
in class from the perspective of the patient and counselor, raising related
ethical, psychosocial, or ethnocultural issues.
Current Issues in Genetic Counseling (GENET CN 403)
This course is offered to first- and second-year students in alternate years.
It is designed to explore several recent issues of importance in the practice
of genetic counseling. In this seminar we anticipate covering social, cultural
and religious issues in genetic counseling, and ethics and genetic counseling.
While this course has a small didactic component, students play a major role
in exploring the topics, presenting information to the class and synthesizing
the material for practical applications in genetic counseling.
Research Project (1)
Students continue to work on a research project
according to a time line determined by the program director.
Clinical Rotation and Practicum
(See rotation descriptions)
The genetic counseling practicum allows students to practice components of
the genetic counseling session in a safe environment; observations are also
scheduled during the fall quarter. During the fall quarter the genetic counseling
practicum focuses on communicating basic genetic facts, and throughout the
year it moves towards higher level counseling skills. Role plays are conducted
with fellow students and faculty members.
Winter 2008
Topics in Genetics (GENET CN 405)
This course is a problem-based learning seminar on current topics in genetics
with emphasis on medical genetics and genetic counseling. Students choose
discussion topics, divide them into subtopics, and present their topics to
the class with course moderators facilitating the discussion. A seminar series
on professional issues is also included.
Research Project (1)
Students continue to work on a research project
according to a time line determined by the program director. The research
project culminates with the presentation of a scholarly paper and a formal
research presentation at the student
colloquium that precedes graduation.
Clinical Rotation
(See rotation descriptions)
Optional postgraduate electives may be available in the spring after graduation
if students are interested in an extended clinical experience with specialized
focus (i.e., three months of focused cancer genetic counseling or clinical
research trials experience).
The Northwestern program is designed so that classroom learning can be applied
to the clinical experience and clinical experience can be brought into the
classroom. Cases and counseling issues are frequently discussed in class.
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