Medical College of Wisconsin Genetic Counseling Career Research & Exploration Workshop

The Genetic Counseling Career Research & Exploration Workshop (GC-CREW) is offered by the Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program (MSGC) at the Medical College of Wisconsin. This is a free workshop that is offered in the Fall, Spring and Summer terms for undergraduates, recent graduates and those interested in pursuing a career in genetic counseling. The mission of this virtual group workshop is to increase accessibility to genetic counseling, as well as to increase diversity within the field.

The GC-CREW is intended for individuals who would like to gain an in-depth exposure to the field and are interested in becoming a genetic counselor. The objectives are:

Learn more about the career of a genetic counselor and the prenatal, cancer and cardiovascular genetics specialties.
Identify the components of a genetic counseling session.
Illustrate basic genetic counseling concepts.
Gain a deeper appreciation for the patient experience.
Develop presentation and communication skills.
Offer mentorship for graduate school applications.
Provide networking opportunities with peers as well as genetic counselors.

The virtual experience will include the following responsibilities for participants:

Developing personal goals for the internship, participating in a mid-point and final evaluation with workshop director.
Case preparation, including reviewing patient mock charts, reading medical literature on a weekly topic, researching relevant genetic conditions, identifying provider and patient appropriate resources.
Constructing and interpreting family history pedigrees.
Observing standardized patient genetic counseling sessions, documenting analysis of the sessions and discussing reflections.
Reading and presenting a scientific article to summarize key points and relevance to the genetic counseling field.
Completing a mock session, role playing the part of the genetic counselor and patient.

Questions or requests for additional information can be directed to gccrew@mcw.edu or (414) 955-5865.

The application deadline for the Fall term is August 15.
The application deadline for the Spring term is December 15.
The application deadline for the Summer term is May 1.

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GC-CREW Application Information

The Genetic Counseling Career Research and Exploration Workshop (GC-CREW) values the unique backgrounds, experiences, and identities of all people, in alignment with our mission to "increase accessibility to genetic counseling, as well as to increase diversity within the field.” With this lens, we wish to admit individuals to our program from a variety of perspectives with strengths in various areas.

We encourage applicants to share how their personal identities and backgrounds have influenced their experiences and affected their lives. We recognize the responsibility we have to utilize this information in an equitable and just approach to the holistic admissions process.

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Eligibility

The requirements for this workshop include:

Applicants must be undergraduates (in their junior or senior year) or individuals who have completed their bachelor’s degree and are interested in pursuing a career in genetic counseling.
Minimum GPA of 3.0.
Currently enrolled or completed a college level biology course, preference may be given to applicants who have also taken genetics coursework.
High-speed internet access and computer with web-camera.

Application Requirements & Timeline

Please review the table below for the Genetic Counseling Career Research & Exploration Workshop application deadlines and start dates:

Workshop Cycle	Application Deadline	Workshop Day/Times	Start Dates
Fall 2023	8/15/2023	Wednesdays, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (CT)	Mid-Sept
Spring 2024	12/15/2023		February
Summer 2024	05/01/2024		Mid-June
Fall 2024	08/15/2024		Mid-Sept

*Official start date for each workshop will be provided during the application process or confirmed by contacting gccrew@mcw.edu.

Supplemental Application Requirements:

CV/Resume, highlighting your relevant genetic counseling exposure, shadowing, or other relevant experiences in which you have participated.
Unofficial Transcripts from current and any previously attended colleges/universities.
Two (2) letters of recommendation.
- One of the two letters of recommendation must be written by a current or previous college professor, advisor, or tutor.
- Letters of recommendation written by family members will not be accepted.

All supplemental application documents (i.e., resume, transcripts, letters of recommendation) can be submitted via email to gccrew@mcw.edu.

All application materials must be received by 12:00 pm (Noon) CT on the application deadline.

Workshop Length

The Genetic Counseling Career Research & Exploration Workshop is a 3-hour group workshop session one day per week for 10 weeks (30 hours total). Additionally, there may be up to 1 hour of independent study each week outside of workshop time. All content will be virtual, so participants do not need to reside in the Milwaukee area to participate.

International Students

International students residing within and outside of the US may apply to the Genetic Counseling Career Research & Exploration Workshop, as this is a virtual workshop.

Workshop Faculty and Staff

Sarah Linn, MS, CGC

Workshop Director

Nathaniel L. Conley, MS, CGC

Genetic Counselor

Jennifer Geurts, MS, CGC

Assistant Professor; Program Director, Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program

Mackenzie Drozdowicz

Education Program Coordinator II

Program Contact Information

Sarah Linn, MS, CGC

slinn@mcw.edu

gccrew@mcw.edu