Fieldwork Rotations
Fieldwork is integral to the graduate training experience and a major strength of the Northwestern Program. We partner with over 40 clinical and non-clinical fieldwork sites in Chicagoland (Chicago and surrounding suburbs) and numerous sites across the United States and internationally. This allows students to experience a variety of specialties, settings, and service delivery modes while serving patients from a range of socioeconomic, racial, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds throughout training.
Preparation
Students are introduced to client encounters prior to beginning fieldwork placements. Medical Communication and Genetic Counseling Skills Practicum provide students opportunities to role play with standardized patients (actors), faculty members, and fellow students in order to practice basic communication skills and communicating genetic information.
Schedule Overview
Students complete a total of 6 placements throughout their training. Find the program's full coursework schedule here.
- In Spring Quarter of their first year, students participate in their first rotation, a 10-week clinical placement.
- In Summer Quarter, students participate in two full-time 6-week rotations. Summer placements may be in Chicagoland or another city, state, or country.
- In their second year, students participate in three 5-week rotations.
Each student will be provided a well-rounded schedule of fieldwork placements so that they are able to conduct genetic counseling sessions by assessing a client’s needs and risks, communicating appropriate genetic and medical information, facilitating decision-making, and providing psychosocial support. In addition, these experiences will help students apply their genetic counseling skills to a variety of work settings and roles.
Each student will have one to two fieldwork placements in each of the following clinical specialties:
- Prenatal: discuss preconception and prenatal screening and diagnostic testing options based on family/personal medical history, test results, and ultrasound findings
- Cancer/Adult: perform risk assessment after eliciting comprehensive family/personal medical histories to determine appropriate testing, interpret genetic test results, and provide support
- Pediatric and general genetics: participate in clinics that serve those with diagnosed or suspected genetic conditions, including Down syndrome, skeletal dysplasias, cystic fibrosis, neurofibromatosis, metabolic conditions, and others
Students are assigned additional rotations based on availability and interest. Additional fieldwork opportunities include but are not limited to cardiology, neurology, hematology, laboratory, industry, advocacy, and research.