A few weeks ago, I attended the 2015 Annual Ohio Genetic
Counselors Meeting along with my classmates Kait and Meghann. This was our
first genetic counseling conference and we were excited to find out what was
discussed and what the event would be like.
One thing that I realized while listening to the lectures
was how much I understood. I was able to make connections to the patients I’ve
seen and clinics I’ve rotated in. Only a year ago I was taking quizzes on
medical terminology and just starting to learn how to take pedigrees. I can’t
believe how much I have learned and grown in the past year.
During the break for lunch, we sat with a couple of our
classmates who graduated last May and have now been working for a few months.
This was a great opportunity to learn about the transition from graduate
training into working and how that has been for them. We were also able to get
advice about the job search process and studying for the board exam. The
environment in the lunch room was loud and exciting, as many people had the
opportunity to sit and talk with old classmates and colleagues who they had not
seen since last year.
After the conference, we were also able to network with the
genetic counseling students from Ohio State and Case Western who were also at
the meeting. This was a very fun opportunity to learn more about their programs
and discuss particularly interesting indications that we’ve gotten to see.
Overall, I had a lot of fun attending the Ohio Genetic
Counselors Meeting. It was a good learning opportunity to find out more about
the topics presented and what a conference is like. In addition, I really
enjoyed getting to feel part of a larger community of genetic counselors.
--Hayley Grandine, second year student
