Genetic Counseling: A Personal Statement Of Purpose

As a part of the HBCU Alumni Alliance’s Higher Education initiative program; Alumni of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are concerned about the inadequate representation of minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related professions. Consequently, DCHBCUAA STEM professionals have designed and organized an instructional hands-on STEM workshop for students in grades 10-12, to enlighten them on the different facets of professions available in the sciences. As a part of our community partnership with Kaiser Permanente, we have a workshop scheduled for Saturday, April 29, 2017, from 800 am-5:00 pm, at 2101 Jefferson Street in Rockville, Maryland.

The records have been reviewed. The member is an adult female with a birth date of 05/12/1964. She has a diagnosis of early stage colon carcinoma. Her treating provider, Stephen Grabelsky, MD recommended the Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay.

Dr. Ava Morrow is a person worthy of being nominated and recognized for an HBCU Alumni Award in the category of education because her work as a microbiologist has afforded her the opportunity to train and encourage high school students and college students to be the next generation of STEM professionals. Her career as a faculty member began as a teaching assistant in the biology department at Gallaudet University and ended with the rank of Full Professor of Microbiology when she retired in 2013. She loved her work and was dedicated to students and the learning process. During her tenure at the university, she taught courses in Human Biology, General Microbiology, Pathogenic Microbiology, Physical Science, and Psychosocial and

Growing up, most kids in my generation had Disney Channel or Barbie Dolls. As I was raised with 6 siblings and cousins and having just emigrated from England, my family did not have ample money to expend on cable or fancy toys; subsequently, I resorted to books. As I read more and more, my interests began to broaden, and my keen admiration and curiosity for how and why things work in certain ways progressed. As I grew older, I realized that science could be used to answer many of life’s most complex questions. Once I was accepted early into The University of Georgia, I declared my major as Biology with a pre-medical intent, deciding to further pursue my curiosity about living organisms. I soon realized that I needed to achieve more, and decided

As a STEM student in the Biomedical pathway I am constantly introduced to new forms of science every single day, which is certainly a privilege because as a STEM student I am exposed to new ways of learning which aren’t covered in a typical classroom setting. In fact, Science is my favorite subject because it’s a constantly evolving subject that is responsible for the fluidity of earths processes. Moreover, my interest to increase my knowledge base leads to my interest in the Science aspect of the Governor’s Honor Program.

As an adolescent, my enthusiasm for biology, knowledge, and assisting others attracted me to the medical field. The salary or glory does not appeal to me, since physicians must also commit to a grueling education, long work hours, and tremendous responsibilities. However, they bring optimism and joy to despairing patients. Doctors encounter mental challenges while diagnosing a patient, and immense satisfaction devising a solution. I intend to become a clinical geneticist, as I am inquisitive about genetics, particularly genetically inherited diseases. A

In undergrad, I volunteered my time as a teacher for the Saturday Science Academy on the campus of Charles R. Drew University. My work with the high school students reminded me that to make a difference, you must first care about the individual and understand their circumstances. The Saturday Science

In order to review their inherited genetic risks and help them understand and provide counseling according to their specific needs the genetic counselor should know the Trosacks ' have already established that their unborn child has Tay Sachs disease and based on those needs they should be provided with appropriate guidance and counseling as they progress through their pregnancy. The discussion should include what causes genetic disorders, and what that means to the Trosack couple specifically, including dominant, recessive and x-linked disorders. However, recessive disorders should be fully discussed in this case. Another topic to include in the discussion are what genes and chromosomes are, and the relation to Tay Sachs disease.

She has worked with women who are entering fields all across the STEM spectrum and was able to touch on personal stories from her students along with her own experiences as a woman in the workforce. The leader in her character is displayed as she touches on the powerful emotions she experiences when working with some of the most gifted STEM women that we should expect to make strides in the future. Women such as those she works with at the Douglass Project only have one ceiling to break through. It has nothing to do with their talents and capabilities, but rather everything to do with the negative stigmas in our society. For the sake of these women, speaking to Beth has pushed me to use my voice even more than I ever have before. I also hope to share certain pieces of this interview with a woman who is passionate about science, but maybe doubts her ability to do well in the field based on these stigmas. Overall, having this interview with Beth has strengthened my passion for being an advocate on the solutions needed to combat this

Some counselors choose to focus their work on the regular practice of comforting and guiding families through the often traumatic process of discovering their genetic predisposition to a multitude of diseases. Other counselors can choose to gear their focus on the side of research. This type of counselor usually catalogs family medical history and information about pregnancy. The noting of this vital information becomes necessary as it leads to an increase in the study and understating of how patients will someday be able to carry out a normal life while simultaneously living with a genetic disease. ( Who Are Genetic Counselors? nsgc.org ) These are only a few examples amongst many others that give way to the wide variety of unique attributes I will be able to provide as a genetic counselor that would not be available in any other

Today genograms are used in psychology and medical settings to identify the connection between families and identify how members of the family communicate with one another. There are several types of genograms that created for many reasons such as ethical, career, and sexual. This genogram helps an individual map out the connection of their contextual history with their framework. My experience of creating a genogram was an amazing feeling and it helped me discover several factors that occur in life as an adult. The interview with mom helps me to identify a lot of unknown features that can be possible genetically transmitted to my children. During my genogram creation, a few explanations of conflicts were discussed according to family member’s characteristics and beliefs. Discovery of my genogram alerts me with the many personalities that I share with my family. While reading this book I was eager to finish the book because of the interested information that was listed to help me understand my developmental structures.

The BLS states that the employment outlook for the genetics counseling field is quite promising. They project it to grow at 29 percent until the year 2024, which is much faster than average. Keep reading to learn why the employment outlook for this exciting medical field is so good.

According to Berger (2014), a patient can receive genetic counseling to learn more about a condition/disease he or she may possibly be at risk for and may possibly pass onto their children (p. 88). A genetic counselor is educated and trained to describe to the patient the condition/disease, the benefits and drawbacks for taking the genetic test, the test results’ meaning, and how having the condition could affect their future children (Berger, 2014, p. 88). Then, the patient – not the genetic counselor – makes decisions about his or her next steps with respect to all the information they have been provided by the genetic counselor (Berger, 2014, p. 89).

Every living thing is the product of the genes that were passed down from ancestors. Genes make up everything we are. One gets their traits from their parents. Most people live full lives with relatively good health. However, some people inherit mutated genes or faulty genes. This could lead to genetic disorders that could be life threatening. Even today, many genetic disorders still remain incurable, leaving many people without hope. Genetic therapy could be their answer. It is through this research that the cure for genetic disorders can be found. Though some people believe it is unethical or immoral to alter genes, current therapeutics have not been able to save the lives of the patients with these diseases. Genetic therapy

Modern science is advancing perpetually each year, aiding millions of people with thousands of diseases or disorders. New discoveries happen each day. Steadily advancing the modern science front, and gene therapy is no exception. Genetic therapy can be defined as a form of transplantation of nucleic acids into a foreign subject with hopes that it will improve or even cure certain diseases or symptoms. (Dexi Lui, 1997) Medicinal practices in countries that practice western medicine seem to be directly related to technological advances. As technological understanding increases, medical practices and knowledge has the opportunity to be increased. Some of these advances are undergoing a lengthy trial period, mostly due to possible side effects, or until the proper method of administration is determined.