How To Work With Interpreters

Jessica’s most recent post, Interpretation Declined, struck a chord with me.  She brings up a very good topic and it was refreshing for me to see it from a different perspective. I wanted to expand on this topic some more since I have utilized interpreters as both a genetic counselor and as a patient.
Jessica writes [...]

Label Jars….Not People

As genetic counselors we hope to make a difference in someone’s life.  Why not expand on that?  While our primary focus should be on our patients, we should also strive to utilize our skills outside of the workplace.  Not only will this have an impact on the world, it will also indirectly have an impact [...]

When The Line Between Being A Friend and A Genetic Counselor Becomes Fuzzy

Set scene.
It’s 9 pm on a Friday night and I walk into a friend’s apartment all ready to catch up on meaningless gossip with friends.
“Kelly!  I have a genetics question for you.”
“What if I have a family history of *insert condition* what are the chances of me having that condition?”

“Is it okay to take [...]