Clinical Rotations at Duke University

Duke University Medical Center – Hereditary Cancer Clinic, Durham, NC

The Hereditary Cancer Clinic at Duke University Medical Center allows genetic counseling students the exposure to both clinical patient care and research. Students will talk with families before genetic counseling appointments to obtain family and medical history. Students will learn how to use statistical models for risk assessment and will learn to identify appropriate literature and resources for families. Students may have the opportunity to discuss diagnoses, natural history of cancer and pros and cons of testing options. Thorough documentation will be expected in the form of consultation notes and patient and physician letters. Students will have the opportunity to attend cancer case conferences and may be asked to present a case during the rotation.

Duke University Medical Center – Fetal Diagnostic Center, Durham, NC

Genetic counseling students in the Duke Fetal Diagnostic Center will be exposed to a wide variety of prenatal counseling opportunities. This experience will include preconception as well as prenatal counseling for advanced maternal age, abnormal prenatal screening results, teratogen exposures, ultrasound anomalies, carrier screening for various ethnic backgrounds, and family history of genetic conditions. Other educational opportunities are available through interdisciplinary meetings to discuss the management of pregnancies and deliveries of babies with prenatally identified conditions, radiology conference to discuss abnormal ultrasound findings, and genetics case conference. Students may also have opportunities to spend time at local satellite locations including Duke Perinatal Consultants of Raleigh and Duke Perinatal Consultants of Burlington.

Duke University Medical Center – Pediatrics and Specialty Clinics, Durham, NC

In this setting, genetic counseling students will observe and interact with children, adults and families with established genetic diagnoses. Students will also be involved with consultations regarding possible genetic diagnoses for both in-patients and out-patients. Students will attend a general genetics clinic and clinics devoted to specific conditions. Monthly specialty clinics include Down Syndrome Clinic, Neurofibromatosis Clinic, Connective Tissue Clinic, Metabolic Clinic and the Fragile X Clinic. Students will also be exposed to research and clinical applications of the whole exome sequencing study currently being conducted at Duke. There are several weekly meetings in this setting that students may be asked to attend, including patient review meetings, Education Conference and Case Conference.