During your time with us you'll get hands-on experience through a wide range of fieldwork opportunities in prenatal, pediatric and adult settings, as well as specialty clinics. International rotations are encouraged through our partners in the Transnational Alliance for Genetic Counseling.
Additionally, senior students will virtually participate in two, two-week Mini Rotations during their last semester. These unique fieldwork opportunities allow senior students to deepen their understanding of genetic counselors working in niche settings:
- Research
- Variant Classification
- Utilization Management
- Telehealth
- Industry
- Huntington Disease Center for Excellence
- Genomic Medicine
- Cardiology
- Pulmonology
Prisma Health Midlands - Columbia, SC
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Students are exposed to all facets of prenatal screening and diagnosis including CVS,
amniocentesis, high-resolution ultrasound, first trimester screening and noninvasive
prenatal screening. During the course of the rotation, students also may work with
patients for preconception genetic counseling and other adult onset genetic conditions.
Students have the opportunity to attend a monthly multidisciplinary fetal board meeting.
Cancer
Students will participate in full genetic counseling sessions for individuals who
have a personal diagnosis or family history of cancer. Students will offer gene panel
testing, attend tumor boards and participate in telemedicine for satellite clinics.
Medical University of South Carolina - Charleston, SC
Prenatal Wellness Center
This rotation offers a variety of prenatal and preconception genetic counseling opportunities
and observation of prenatal tests, including CVS, amniocentesis and high-resolution
ultrasound. The monthly Fetal Board allows for the participation in a multidisciplinary
discussion and planning of management of pregnancies with fetal abnormalities.
Department of Genetics and Developmental Pediatrics
Our department serves both pediatric and adult patients with a wide variety of genetic
needs. Students have the opportunity to participate in cases that involve indications
such as autism/developmental delays, connective tissue disorders, ophthalmology conditions,
neuromuscular disorders and many others. We also have metabolic and craniofacial clinics
at MUSC. Students are also able to observe in-patient genetic consultations in the
NNICU, PICU and other in-patient units around the hospital.
Prisma Health Upstate - Greenville, SC
Students gain experience in counseling about hereditary cancer risks, reviewing genetic testing options and facilitating patient decision-making in an oncology setting. Students participate in follow-up consultation when a patient is known to have a documented hereditary cancer mutation with our medical director. This includes full discussion of cancer risk management, inheritance pattern and assisting relatives in pursing testing, providing support resources, and psychosocial adjustment to hereditary cancer risk.
Greenwood Genetic Center
Columbia, SC
This rotation provides opportunity to participate in neonatal, child and adult evaluations,
outreach satellite clinics and specialty clinics such as craniofacial, metabolic and
Down syndrome clinics.
Greenville, SC
This rotation provides the opportunity to see children and adults with a variety of
genetic conditions and for a variety of referral reasons. Specialty clinics, such
as craniofacial, neurodevelopmental and muscular dystrophy, offer exposure to clinics
in a team setting.
Greenwood, SC
This center provides prenatal, pediatric and adult genetic counseling services. Individuals
are referred for a variety of general genetic conditions; GGC places an emphasis on
developmental disorders, autism and birth defects. Laboratory activities include cytogenetic,
molecular, and metabolic diagnostics and research. There are opportunities to participate
in monthly Case Review.
University Medical Center - Augusta, GA
This rotation provides experience with inpatient and outpatient comprehensive genetic counseling evaluations and offers opportunities for student participation in interdisciplinary specialty teams such as comprehensive cystic fibrosis clinic (pediatric and adult) and comprehensive hemophilia clinic (pediatric and adult). Students will also participate in cancer genetic counseling evaluations. Students will have the opportunity to participate in hospital-wide genetic test management decisions.
Atrium Health - Charlotte, NC
Women’s Institute
Students will work alongside ultrasonographers and Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists
to provide the full spectrum of prenatal and preconception genetic counseling services.
Patients are referred for advanced maternal age, abnormal prenatal screens, family
history concerns, carrier screening, teratogenic exposures, maternal conditions, recurrent
pregnancy loss and abnormal ultrasound findings. In addition, students have the opportunity
to observe patients in the Fetal Care Center, which provides fetal surgery for complex
indications.
Levine Cancer Institute
This rotation offers genetic counseling services, including pedigree analysis, cancer
risk assessment, and genetic testing. Students will assist in cancer genetic counseling
sessions for a variety of indications, including evaluation for hereditary breast,
gynecologic, and gastrointestinal cancers, as well as other hereditary cancer syndromes.
Students also will attend our Cancer Genetics Conference and various multidisciplinary
tumor boards hosted by the Levine Cancer Institute.
Levine Children’s Hospital
Multiple specialists work as a team to diagnose genetic conditions using the latest
chromosomal, metabolic and DNA analysis techniques. Students will be exposed to referrals
for pediatric and adult genetic conditions including:
- Growth problems, such as skeletal dysplasias
- Birth defects and multiple congenital anomalies
- Chromosome conditions such as Down syndrome
- Developmental delays and neurological problems, such as autism
- Metabolic disorders
- Spina bifida
In addition to the general genetics clinics, we also have several multidisciplinary clinics for Down syndrome, metabolic disorders, and cystic fibrosis. We will be participating in an aortopathy clinic and Tuberous sclerosis clinics in the near future.
Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center - Charlotte, NC
Students will participate in full genetic counseling sessions for individuals who have a personal diagnosis or family history of cancer. Students will offer gene panel testing, attend tumor boards and participate in satellite clinic and participate in High Risk Cancer Clinic.
Fullerton Genetics Center - Asheville, NC
The clinical rotation experience offers students the opportunity to participate in the evaluation and counseling of pediatric, adult (cancer, late-onset disorders, preconception) and prenatal patients. Students also will have the opportunity to participate in the only multidisciplinary Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders clinic in the state, the NC Pregnancy Riskline (teratogen exposure concerns) and follow-up of patients being treated for lysosomal storage disorders.
Duke University Medical Center - Durham, NC
Fetal Diagnostic Center
Genetic counseling students in the Duke Fetal Diagnostic Center will be exposed to
a wide variety of prenatal counseling opportunities in multiple sites. This experience
will include preconception as well as prenatal counseling for advanced maternal age,
abnormal maternal serum screening / non-invasive prenatal testing, teratogen exposures,
ultrasound anomalies, carrier screening due to various ethnic backgrounds and family
history of genetic conditions. Other educational opportunities are available through
interdisciplinary meetings to discuss the management of pregnancies and deliveries
of babies with prenatally identified conditions, radiology conference to discuss abnormal
ultrasound findings and genetics case conference.
Medical Genetics Program
In this setting, genetic counseling students will observe and interact with children,
adults and families with established genetic diagnoses. Students will also be involved
with consultations regarding possible genetic diagnoses for both in patients and out
patients. Students will attend a general genetics clinic and clinics devoted to specific
conditions. Students will attend a weekly case conference where challenging patients
are reviewed. Weekly clinics include Cardiovascular genetics clinic, Fragile X syndrome
clinic and Metabolic Disease clinic. Twice Monthly specialty clinics include Down syndrome
and 22q11 Clinics.
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, NC
Our Reproductive Genetics Clinics are staffed by five genetic counselors working in
conjunction with maternal fetal medicine specialists. This clinic offers students
a variety of experiences in prenatal genetic counseling including working with patients
of increased maternal age, positive serum screening, ultrasound abnormalities, teratogen
exposures and patients with a broad range of family history concerns. Students will
have contact with a diverse patient population and gain experience working with Spanish
interpreters. Students will see patients both at the UNC prenatal diagnostic clinic
and at our satellite clinic at the Rex Birth Center in Raleigh, NC. Other opportunities
for students include participating in weekly meetings and following patients through
the Center for Maternal and Infant Health and the UNC Perinatal Palliative Care program,
working with the maternal serum screening laboratory, and developing educational material
for patients.
The UNC Adult and Cancer Genetics program is comprised of seven genetic counselors
and three medical geneticists. This rotation has two tracks: (1) adult/specialty
genetics, and (2) cancer genetics. In the general adult genetic clinics, students
are exposed to a variety of referral indications including intellectual disability,
connective tissue disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, neuromuscular disorders
and metabolic evaluations. Adults and children are seen in our specialty clinics,
which include bleeding disorders, ophthalmology and cardiology. In the cancer genetics
clinics, students are exposed to a variety of referral indications including breast,
gynecologic, and colon cancers, and polyposis. All students are expected to attend
a weekly conference to discuss upcoming clinics and difficult patient cases. Students
may have opportunities to attend additional conferences and assist with inpatient
consults
Clinical Rotation Faculty
Sally Shields, RN, MS, CGC
Leigh DeHoll, MS, CGC
Paige Babb, MS, CGC
Kim Foil, MS, CGC
G. S. Pai, MD
Daynna Wolff, PhD
Pediatric Genetic Counselors
Shelley Dills, MS, CGC
Tamara Haygarth, MS, CGC
Dana Mittag, MS, CGC
Prenatal Genetic Counselors
Teresa Brady, MS, CGC
Jean St. John, MS, CGC
Nicole Lasarsky, MS, CGC
Lauren Masso, MS, CGC
Cancer Genetic Counselors
Lisa Amacker-North, MS, CGC
Stacy Lenarcic, MS, CGC
Beth Dellinger, MS, CGC
Lindsay McNeely, MS, CGC
Megan Pollard, MS, CGC
Alexandra Bailey, MS, CGC
Stephanie Nix, MS, CGC
Aly Athens, MS, CGC
Kelly Warsinske, MS, CGC
Mariah Gleason, MS, CGC
Sara Elrefai, MD, FACMG
Clinical Geneticists
Laurie Demmer, MD
Berrin Monteleone, MD
Fran Annese, LMSW
Lori Bassett, MS, CGC
Neena Champaigne, MD
Alka Chaubey, PhD
Barbara Du Pont, PhD
Robin Fletcher, MS, CGC
Michael J. Friez, PhD
Julie Jones, PhD
Jennifer A. Lee, PhD
Wesley Patterson, PA
Laura Pollard, PhD
Tim Wood, PhD
Steve Skinner, MD
Roger Stevenson, MD
Kellie Walden, MS, CGC
Hannah Warren, MS, CGC
GGC Columbia Office
Amy Toburen Dobson, MS, CGC
L. Kate Byrd Clarkson, MD
Angie Ward Lichty, MS, CGC
EJ Prioles, MD
Katy Drazba, MS, CGC
GGC Greenville
David Everman, MD
R. Curtis Rogers, MD
Brooke Smith, MS, CGC
Julia Russo, MS, CGC
Elliot Stolerman, MD
Jessica Davis, MS, CGC
Cam Brasington, MS, CGC
Anna Childers, MS, CGC
Kara Bui, MS, CGC
Lindsay Metcalf, MS, CGC
Gail Stapleton, MS, CGC
Allison Bellomo, MS, CGC
Wynn Surka, MS, CGC
Reproductive Genetics
Erin Campbell MS, CGC
Elysia Davis MGC, CGC
Kelly Gilmore MS, CGC
Emily Hardisty, MS, CGC
Ginger Hocutt, MR, MS, CGC
Diane Vargo RN, MS, CGC
Neeta Vora, MD
Adult and Cancer Genetics
Jim Evans, MD, PhD
Jonathan Berg, MD, PhD
Bradford Powell, MD, PhD
Stefanie Finch, MS
Kate Foreman, MS
Katie Garbarini, MS
Kristy Lee, MS
Ashlynn Messmore, MS
Julianne O’Daniel, MS
Cecile Skrzynia, MS
Jennifer Sullivan, MS
Kelly Schoch, MS
Priya Kishnani, MD
Marie T. McDonald, MD
Dwight D. Koeberl, MD, PhD
Vandana Shashi, MD
Yong-Hui Jiang, MD, PhD
Allyn McConkie-Rosell, PhD
Heidi Cope, MS
Jane Ann Baker, MS
Stephanie Austin, MS
Lauren Bailey Flueckinger, MS
Rebecca Crimian Spillman, MS
Erica Nading, MS
Sarah Hart, MS, PhD
Kacey Riley, MS
Sarah Montgomery, MS
Danielle Karlowicz, MS
Kristin Paulyson Nunez, MS
Deborah Wells, MS
Regan Matthews, MS
Michelle Baric, MS
Amanda L Padro, MS
Shandrea Foster, MS, CGC
Monica Basehore, PhD
Chad Haldeman-Englert, MD
Shearon Roberts, MS, CGC
Kerry Crandall, MS, CGC
Carolyn Wilson-Brackett, MS, CGC
Camila Shanahan, MS, CGC
Jenny Morgan, MS, CGC
William Allen, MD
Holli Drendel, PhD
Alexandra Tessari, MS, CGC
Katie Berrier, MS, CGC