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Past Summer Scholar, Emme Haddad, shares experience!
The Warren Alpert Foundation Summer Fellowship was a truly transformative experience for me as a prospective student pursuing a career in genetic counseling. As an undergraduate student, gaining meaningful exposure to the field can be challenging; however, the WAF Summer Fellowship provided an immersive opportunity to explore the profession and connect with leaders, students, and practicing genetic counselors across the five participating programs.
Throughout the program, I built valuable relationships with program leaders, genetic counselors, and fellow students while learning from genetic counseling mentors, student mentors, and faculty. The mentorship opportunities were particularly impactful, as they provided insight into multiple stages of the genetic counseling journey. Through the student mentorship component, I gained a better understanding of the graduate application process and the day-to-day life of a genetic counseling student. Hearing about academic coursework, clinical rotations, and strategies for balancing responsibilities helped me better understand what graduate training in genetic counseling entails.
Connecting with practicing genetic counselors and program leadership also allowed me to learn directly from professionals working in and shaping the field. These conversations provided insight into the challenges and rewards of the profession, the variety of career paths within genetic counseling, and the clinical decision-making skills required in practice. Hearing from program directors and faculty about the structure of genetic counseling training and the evolving role of genetics in healthcare gave me a broader perspective on the profession and strengthened my confidence in pursuing this career path.
The fellowship also provided invaluable first-hand exposure through clinical rotations, where I observed genetic counselors working directly with patients. Watching counselors guide conversations, explain complex genetic information, and support patients through important healthcare decisions reinforced my interest in the field and gave me a clearer understanding of the impact genetic counselors have in clinical settings.
In addition, the Fellowship’s lectures, seminars, lab tours, and grand rounds further expanded my knowledge of the field. I learned about the structure and counseling skills used in patient interactions, the wide range of genetic conditions addressed in clinical practice, as well as the diverse roles genetic counselors can pursue beyond traditional clinical settings. These opportunities also introduced me to emerging areas within genetics, including developments in gene therapies, advances in laboratory testing technologies, and the growing role of genetics in personalized medicine.
Another valuable aspect of the program was completing projects focused on specific genetic conditions and the gene therapies available. Through researching these conditions, creating patient-friendly educational pamphlets, and presenting our findings, I gained a deeper appreciation for the rapidly evolving field of gene therapy and the treatments available to patients. Listening to my peers’ presentations was equally beneficial, as it allowed me to learn about additional conditions and therapies while gaining insight into the presentation-based learning styles commonly used in graduate programs.
Although I was already committed to pursuing genetic counseling before the fellowship, participating in such a hands-on program deepened my understanding of both the profession and the experience of training in a genetic counseling graduate program. The relationships I formed during the summer, with fellow interns, genetic counselors, and faculty, have continued to grow and remain an important part of my professional development.
I am incredibly grateful for this experience and strongly encourage any student seriously interested in pursuing a career in genetic counseling to apply. It is an unparalleled opportunity to immerse oneself in the field and begin preparing for a future as a genetic counselor.
-Emme Haddad