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Genetic Counselor
Helps individuals understand their genetic risks and make informed health decisions about hereditary conditions.
Did you know?
The term 'genetic counseling' was coined in 1947 by Sheldon Reed, and the first master's degree in it began at Sarah Lawrence College in 1969.
How subjects help
- Biology: Explain how genes pass from parents to children and what a DNA test result means.
- Mathematics: Draw family trees and work out the chance a child will inherit a condition.
- Statistics: Turn genetic test results into clear risks that a family can understand and act on.
- Psychology: Support a family through worrying news and help them make their own choices.
A famous name
Sheldon C. Reed: Geneticist who coined the term "genetic counseling" in 1947.
Try it yourself: Trace a trait through a family tree
- Invent a family of cartoon creatures over three generations: grandparents, parents, children.
- Give some of them a made-up trait, like a curly tail. Colour those members in.
- Look at your tree: which children could have got the trait from which parent?
- Explain your tree to someone as if they were the family. Keep it kind and clear, with no scary words.
Genetic counsellors draw family trees and explain what they might mean, calmly and clearly, so families can make their own choices.
Also try: Trick your brain with colour words.
Known for it in
USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Netherlands