415.620.92 INTRODUCTION TO GENETIC COUNSELING I

Compares definitions of genetic counseling (GC) with objectives and service outcomes. Explores counselor values as they relate to roles and responsibilities toward clients. Introduces ethical and policy issues specific to GC in conjunction with a research agenda. Discusses and practices basic tools, including interviewing, history gathering, and case assessment, and nondirective counseling approaches.

Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to (1) describe the history and goals of genetic counseling; (2) understand the genetic counseling process and the roles that the counselor and client play in the counseling interaction; (3) evaluate the role of genetic risk information in disease understanding and decision making; and (4) discuss the professional, legal, cultural, and ethical implications of how genetic counseling is practiced, today and in the future.