Developing a Model of Advanced Training to Promote Career Advancement for Certified Genetic Counselors: An Investigation of Expanded Skills, Advanced Training Paths, and Professional Opportunities

Abstract

There are currently multiple paths through which genetic counselors can acquire advanced knowledge and skills. However, outside of continuing education opportunities, there are few formal training programs designed specifically for the advanced training of genetic counselors. In the genetic counseling profession, there is currently considerable debate about the paths that should be available to attain advanced skills, as well as the skills that might be needed for practice in the future. The Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors (AGCPD) convened a national committee, the Committee on Advanced Training for Certified Genetic Counselors (CATCGC), to investigate varied paths to post-master's training and career development. The committee began its work by developing three related grids that view career advancement from the viewpoints of the skills needed to advance (skills), ways to obtain these skills (paths), and existing genetic counselor positions that offer career change or advancement (positions). Here we describe previous work related to genetic counselor career advancement, the charge of the CATCGC, our preliminary work in developing a model through which to view genetic counselor advanced training and career advancement opportunities, and our next steps in further developing and disseminating the model.

Time Flies: an Examination of Genetic Counselor Professional Development: Introduction to Special Issue on Genetic Counselor Development

“…These growth-invoking challenges may be subtle or embedded within personal experiences (Colón 2016;Disco 2016), professional characteristics (Miranda et al 2016), patients' stories (Wells et al 2016;Spencer 2016); or career journeys . Alternatively, the opportunities could be more blatant: creating new training opportunities (Atzinger et al 2016;Wiesman et al 2016), training models (Baty et al 2016), or career ladders within large hospital structure (Kofman et al 2016). Regardless, these professional challenges are paramount and likely, protective against career stagnation and burnout (Johnstone et al 2016).…”

Genetic counselor training for the next generation: Where do we go from here?

“…One area that received lower satisfaction is advancement opportunities. At this time, the terminal degree for genetic counselors is the master's degree, but this is one reason for a growing chorus of providers and educators who acknowledge there is a niche for practitioners with advanced training (Baty et al, ; Hippman, Davis, & Committee on Advanced Training for Certified Genetic Counselors, ; Reiser, LeRoy, Grubs, & Walton, ). Several years ago, there was a rigorous examination of the entry‐level degree for the profession and there was overwhelming support to maintain the master's as the entry‐level degree.…”

Genetic counseling: Growth of the profession and the professional

“…As genetic counselor career paths have expanded, there has been much discussion about genetic counselor training (Baty et al, ; Hooker et al, ; Ingvoldstad et al, ; Nagy et al, ; Reiser et al, ). Master's level genetic counselor educational programs have been closely monitored by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) and Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC), with robust program requirements that have changed to keep up with new developments in the field.…”

“…There is currently a national committee sponsored by the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors (AGCPD) that is examining all advanced educational paths from the viewpoints of possible skill sets desired, possible educational pathways (including both degree and nondegree paths), and job positions that might utilize advanced skill sets. The Committee on Advanced Training for Certified Genetic Counselors (CATCCGC) published a model of thinking about advanced educational paths that is applicable to genetic counselors seeking personal growth in genetic counseling skills as well as genetic counselors seeking to climb a ladder of career advancement (Baty et al, ). Another helpful educational development is the NSGC expansion of options for continuing education.…”

“…There is one published example of a genetic counseling career ladder (Kofman et al, ). Both this example and unpublished examples provided to the CATCCGC use the concept of career ladder rather than career lattice (Baty et al, ). A lattice includes both horizontal as well as vertical movements within career trajectories, better capturing the richness of professional opportunities within a profession.…”