Supplemental Activities
Students in the Graduate Program in Genetic Counseling also participate in the following activities that supplement our curriculum.
Conferences
Illinois Society of Genetic Professionals has been devoted to the development and delivery of genetic services, research and education in Illinois. It is the only organization devoted exclusively to the interests of the genetics professional community in Illinois. First-year students attend the annual educational symposium which brings experts together to speak about the latest genetic topics.
All second-year students receive reimbursement from the program to attend the National Society of Genetic Counselors Annual Conference (NSGC).
Students also attend a bereavement conference sponsored by University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Graduate Program in Genetic Counseling.
Chicago is a host city to a wide variety of educational conferences. If possible, the graduate program is very supportive of giving the students the opportunity to attend selected meetings. Students also get to attend grand rounds and sponsored lectures at their various fieldwork rotation sites across the Chicagoland area.
Memberships
The graduate program provides student membership support for NSGC and ISGP.
Field Trips
Students will go on field trips as they become available, such as visiting Misericordia. Misericordia has a wide range of programs on campus and in the community to meet the diverse needs of individuals with developmental disabilities.
Outreach
Students participate in one or more patient- or community-related outreach events during their training. Examples include volunteering to help with a patient support group, family event, educational conference, or fundraising event for individuals with genetic conditions.
Teaching Opportunities and Presentations
Each student provides one lay presentation to the public (high school or college students, community groups, public forums). The topics of these presentations vary depending on the audience and needs. Past topics have included genetic counseling as a career, the basics of genetics and inheritance, and psychosocial and ethical issues in genetics.
Students may have the opportunity to participate in case conference meetings during their fieldwork rotations. Students also may attend outside case conferences that are specific to their fieldwork rotations.
Journal Club meetings allow students and faculty to review current genetics journals and present recent articles of interest. In addition, they allow students to develop critical literature assessment and presentation skills, as well as to keep abreast of current developments in medical genetics.
Students also present and teach each other in several of the courses in the graduate program.
Workshops and Seminars
Workshops and seminars are held by the program to help students further their professional development. Topics include:
- Thesis and research workshops
- Strength finder workshop
- Fieldwork preparation workshops
- Preparing your CV/resume
- Honing your interviewing skills
- How to negotiate a salary
- How to get involved in NSGC