Getting to Know the First-Years

A Survey

Kate Gardiner

The 18 first-year Human Genetics students share a common goal but that’s about it! Here is what they had to say regarding their background, future hopes, and concerns.

Of the all female class:

• 33% are from the East Coast of the US
• 39% are from the West Coast of the US
• 17% are from Canada
• 11% are from Europe
• Ages range from 21–29, with the average of 24

Previous Education

• Most achieved a BSc degree (89%), with Biology the most common major (14%)
• Among those who majored in Biology, 27% specialized in Biology and Psychology
• 11% of those who earned a BA majored in Psychology

Previous Experience

• 56% of the class did not enter the Masters program at SLC straight out of undergraduate studies
• Ranging from one to five years out of school, most (70%) held jobs unrelated to genetic counseling
• Others (20%) pursued additional education, and 33% of these took an additional undergraduate course
• Entering into the program, 89% of the class had experience with a genetic counselor, which included shadowing, interviewing and/or assisting (Of these 18 individuals, only five had greater than two months experience with a genetic counsellor.)

How did the class learn about genetic counseling?

• From a friend: 28%
• From high school: 17%
• From other sources: 17%
• From the internet: 6%

Preliminary areas of interest for a future career (many selected more than one field):

• Prenatal: 67%
• Pediatrics: 61%
• Oncology: 28%
• Public policy, research, and pharmaceuticals: 6% (one person) each

The class is concerned about:

• Direct-to-consumer marketing resulting in the field becoming obsolete: 22%
• Bad PR of the field: 17%
• Giving bad news to a counselee: 11% (56% are uncomfortable with giving bad news while 11% are undecided)
• Ongoing research propagating ongoing ethical debates: 11%
• Trait selection/engineering: 11%
• Ethical stigmas of the field
• 61% would like to work abroad
• That the recession will impact the job market for genetic counsellors upon graduation in 2010: 56%