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Genetic Counselors
(SOC Code : 29-9092)
in California

Assess individual or family risk for a variety of inherited conditions, such as genetic disorders and birth defects. Provide information to other healthcare providers or to individuals and families concerned with the risk of inherited conditions. Advise individuals and families to support informed decisionmaking and coping methods for those at risk. May help conduct research related to genetic conditions or genetic counseling.

Employers are usually looking for candidates with a Master's degree .

Occupational Wages[Top]
AreaYearPeriodHourly MeanHourly by Percentile
25thMedian75th
California 20231st Qtr$65.80$56.73$68.01$70.86

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")[Top]
Projections for this occupation in California are not available.

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Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)[Top]
Industry Title
Number of Employers in State of California
Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California
General Medical and Surgical Hos1,51110.1%
Private Colleges, Universities, an1,4805.4%

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Data for Training Programs not available.

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About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)[Top]
Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)
Provide genetic counseling in specified areas of clinical genetics such as obstetrics, pediatrics, oncology and neurology.
Provide counseling to patient and family members by providing information, education, or reassurance.
Interpret laboratory results and communicate findings to patients or physicians.
Discuss testing options and the associated risks, benefits and limitations with patients and families to assist them in making informed decisions.
Determine or coordinate treatment plans by requesting laboratory services, reviewing genetics or counseling literature, and considering histories or diagnostic data.
Interview patients or review medical records to obtain comprehensive patient or family medical histories, and document findings.
Analyze genetic information to identify patients or families at risk for specific disorders or syndromes.
Provide patients with information about the inheritance of conditions such as breast, ovarian, prostate and colon cancer; cardiovascular disease; Alzheimer`s disease; and diabetes.
Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in genetics.
Write detailed consultation reports to provide information on complex genetic concepts to patients or referring physicians.

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Top Skills used in this Job
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others` reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

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Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)
Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)
Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

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