Judith Tsipis, Director
Welcome to the website for the Genetic Counseling Program at Brandeis University. Thank you for taking the time to explore all that our program has to offer.
I have been the Director of the Brandeis Genetic Counseling Program for 15 years and I can honestly say that each year I return with a renewed sense of purpose. This year it's fueled by the results of our program's self-study that we completed over the summer in preparation for the program's reaccreditation application to the American Board of Genetic Counseling. It was so gratifying to hear about the accomplishments of our alumni and to find out that the tweaks we’ve made in our curriculum have been positively received.
On a personal note, I love hearing about the students’ first Genetic Counseling internships. For some of our students, summer affords the chance to explore geographic boundaries beyond New England; this past summer two students went to Hawaii; another to Atlanta, GA and another to Montreal, Canada. And, of course, the biggest thrill of all is welcoming the new class -- their energy and enthusiasm are contagious. They come ready to absorb all that we have to offer and we have the privilege of getting to know - and work with - this wonderful group of bright and interesting people who come from varied backgrounds and experiences.
We have added a new feature to our website this year, “Brandeis Community”, we hope you find it both helpful and interesting. It highlights campus organizations that speak to the diversity found at Brandeis. A few examples of these include: Arab Culture Club, Black Student Organization, Korean Student Organization and Triskelian. We encourage you to visit this site to see the wealth of support and community that can be found on Brandeis' campus.
If you have any questions, or would like to talk to any program faculty, please don't hesitate to call or email.
Nathalie McIntosh, Co-director, Clinical Placements
Genetic counseling, like all fields in genetics, is a growing field, and as it grows, it changes. For instance, we are now able to offer genetic tests that have only recently become available commercially. Then there are other abrupt changes that make us question some of the solid truths that were once thought to be incontrovertible; when I was a graduate student humans had 100,000 genes and now we find they have only 30,000. I can still remember my genetics professor stressing the concept of "one gene, one protein."
As new information and ideas integrate and take hold, how we offer services and the sort of work we do, evolves. We now have clinical genetic counselors not only working in prenatal, pediatric, adult and cancer settings- but in specialized clinics with a focus on cardiology genetics, psychiatric genetics, and infertility (to name a few). We also have genetic counselors in non-clinical positions coordinating genetic research, managing labs, educating end-users about genetics services, and acting as consultants. The skill set that genetic counseling training provides is broad and can translate into a variety of professional roles.
As an educator reacting and adjusting to change means keeping abreast of advances not only in medical genetics but also in how we think about our work and philosophical approaches to providing patient care and related services. We then integrate this into our teaching so that our students stay abreast of what’s considered “current.” With luck, this learning, and more importantly, the openness to learning, continues well after our students leave. While I don't relish the day when a student returns and tells me that something I taught was completely wrong (perhaps there are really only 15,000 human genes?)- given the nature of genetics and my own experiences within the field- I'll chalk it up to being an occupational hazard.
Beth Rosen Sheidley,
Co-Director, Research and Professional Development
Twelve years ago I was among the first graduates from the Brandeis Genetic Counseling Program, and after a varied and satisfying professional life in both clinical and research roles, I returned to Brandeis to join the faculty in the fall of 2005. Looking back on my first year as a faculty member in the Genetic Counseling Program, I am amazed at how the Program has grown and changed over the past decade, at the educational opportunities afforded to its students, and at the accomplishments of its graduates.
And yet, I am also pleased to find that at its core, the Brandeis Program remains what I remembered it to be: a program that puts an emphasis on exploring all perspectives, including those of individuals and families living with disability and chronic illness. Throughout their training, Brandeis students learn directly from those dealing with disability and illness. They work with disabled children and meet with adults and families living with disabilities in both institutional and home settings, and participate in social activities as well. Last winter, at an annual seminar held for the students that focused on dispelling stereotypes, the students heard from a man living with Huntington disease, a woman with a rare inherited cancer, the mother of a deaf child who had received cochlear implants, an expert in disability equality and ethics, and several speakers who discussed adoption of children with special needs.
Last year was also a time for personal reflection on the career path that I chose so many years ago, as a close family member was diagnosed with breast cancer. As I watched my family member cope with diagnosis, genetic testing and treatment, I was reminded once again of the enormous impact that genetic medicine can have on major life decisions, and the absolute necessity of genetics professionals who can help to guide individuals and families through difficult times. I am very proud to be involved in training the "next generation" of genetic counselors.
With the new semester only a few weeks underway, I am thrilled once again to be returning to Brandeis and to be learning about the perspectives and experiences that our new students bring with them. Our continuing students return to campus with their individual research projects well underway. Their topics include: multicultural competence in genetic counseling, the role of genetic counselors in discussing adoption, the use of telemedicine in genetic counseling, and the use of foreign language interpreters in genetic counseling. Through their research and clinical work, both today and in their professional lives after graduation, Brandeis Genetic Counseling Students will help to shape the future of the genetic counseling profession.
Use the following links to learn more about the Brandeis
Genetic Counseling program:
Applying to the Program,
Admission & Financial Aid
Brandeis Community
Contact Information
Coursework and Curriculum
Current Employers
of GC Graduates
FAQs
Faculty
Fieldwork and Clinical Training
Genetic Counseling as a
Profession
Introduction
Objectives
In Their Own Words - Reflections
on the Brandeis Genetic Counseling Program
Program of Study
Research Projects
The University & Boston Area
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