Hey everyone… So I come from a typical south Asian background where I’ve wanted to be a doctor my entire life. However, now I am much more interested in genetic counseling. Everything about it appeals to me except for two things-the salary and job opportunities. Unfortunately these are two very important things to consider. Also I’ve always been a high achiever and my parents are worried that I will be selling myself short and I kind of understand. I have the potential to do very well in medical school but my heart wants genetic counseling. Any advice from anyone who has been there before? I would really aprreciate it
How old are you? If you’re in HS or a college freshman, don’t worry about this yet. Go ahead taking the premed course requirements – they’ll be useful in understanding the underlying basis of any health field.
Okay I’m just really bad at chemistry so I wanted to avoid those classes, but I definitely understand your point. I wanted to be “sure” which career I wanted to take so I could direct my major towards that
You should do some research into the requirements for becoming a certified genetic counselor. It is a graduate program requiring a master’s. Here’s one at Boston University that came up after a quick search. You’ll note that the application to its graduate program requires a year of college chemistry and one semester of biochemistry:
http://www.bumc.bu.edu/gms/m-s-genetic-counseling-program/admissions-requirements/
One genetic counselor I am familiar with works for a large group of perinatalogy physicians.
This isn’t a reason to limit your career options. It’s a reason to find out about tutoring even before the course starts and work with a tutor throughout the semester. It may also be a reason to try to schedule your other most challenging courses during the semesters when you’re not taking chemistry.
Northwestern University has a program too, I believe. Check it out.
“Okay I’m just really bad at chemistry so I wanted to avoid those classes,”
You would need chemistry and biochemistry to understand genetic diseases. You should not look at this as being somehow easier with respect to chemistry than med school. In fact, I would guess that genetic counselors read and think about biochemistry a lot more than most doctors do.
“I’m just really bad at chemistry”
How bad is bad?
Have you taken full advantage of any help that your teacher (if you are in High School) or professor (if you are in college) can give you, and of any tutoring services available at your high school/college?