The Evolution of Family
By Melanie Hardy, Class of 2011
My introduction to the genetic counseling profession was unique. I was working as a high school teacher when I learned about an opportunity at the Greenwood Genetics Center (GGC) for a summer genetics education program. There, I met Kristy Lee who taught us about the genetic counseling profession and led us through some mock sessions with the other GGC genetic counselors. The program provided an exclusive insight into the world of genetics, and I returned for two more summers because I had such a great time learning.
I was intrigued about genetic counseling. I remember talking to Kristy about UNCG, a program that I was particularly interested in attending. From that conversation, I remember two things clearly: 1) she was very enthusiastic that UNCG was the very best place for me, and 2) she mentioned something about the familylike feel of UNCG. A few years later, I applied. In the interview at UNCG, the concept of family came up again. I remember feeling, unlike any of the other programs I had considered, that there was a unique support network at UNCG – this program would help me feel like I was an important part of a greater whole and a sense of connectedness to other students and alumni. Happily, that is exactly the experience I continue to have to this day (thank you, Kristy!!).
I am proud of the education I received at UNCG, including the opportunity to meet and work with some of the greatest genetics professionals in the country. As education has always been a huge part of my life, I have looked for ways to help others feel that same sense of support and encouragement in the field of genetic counseling as I felt through my own journey in this field. I found opportunities in several places. First, I got involved in NSGC through the Student/New Member Special Interest Group (SIG), where we coordinated education for high school and college students about the field of genetic counseling in a variety of ways. I’ve also been part of genetic counseling student education through presentations at the Annual Education Conference (AEC), coordinating board exam study groups across the country, developing a mentoring program within the SIG and supervision of genetic counseling students in clinic. Through connections I made in the SIG, I transitioned to participation in the NSGC Membership Committee. There, I’ve had the great fortune to help plan and implement the Orientation sessions at the AEC and to cochair the Mentor Program for NSGC. I’ve also been able to maintain connections I made at UNCG: supervisors and mentors have helped through participation in the above events, as well as I’ve had the pleasure of serving on capstone committees of UNCG students. I’ve learned so much from individuals that I met in these activities and feel so fortunate to have a great variety of mentors, leaders, colleagues, and friends in my professional life. It has been a dynamic give-and-take that has, ultimately, built my own genetic counseling ‘family’ across the country.
One of the tough things about working in a relatively small career field is the potential for feeling isolated. I’ve been lucky in my job as a prenatal genetic counselor in that I have two other genetic counselors to collaborate, to commiserate, and to share the workload. We support each other and encourage continuous professional development. Together, we’ve not only developed genetic counseling within our Perinatal Centers, but also expanded our impact by forging connections with community and health care professionals through education and partnerships. These interactions have helped my job develop in new directions, keeping it interesting and dynamic. Relationships with other genetic counselors have been crucial to helping me learn and improve as I move forward in my career.
I encourage anyone working in genetic counseling to identify and seize opportunities to make connections with others in and around the field. One of the best ways I’ve found to do that is through the NSGC Mentor Program (www.nsgcmentor.org). This program helps counselors of all experience levels connect with others, communicate, and share. There are also plenty of other ways to share the many experiences and insights we received through our education at UNCG.