Here is a field that I am not very familiar with: genetic counseling. An article by Simon Barnett and published in the ARK-INVEST.com web site just taught me a great deal. It contains an (audio) podcast that sheds light on genetic counseling.

The podcast discusses:

• Levels of detail that genetic counselors are able to provide their patients with, in comparison to physicians.
• Emily’s experience working in the pediatric and rare disease counseling realm, and how this contrasts to the oncology genetic counseling realm she is now working in.
• The process of deciding which genetics tests to do on a patient.
• Germline versus somatic mutations, and the increasing frequency of paired testing.
• Limitations of the guidelines around who should have genetic testing.
• Comparing polygenic and monogenic testing, and why Emily is excited about the former.
• Changes that Emily hopes to see take place in the genetic counseling field in the future.
• Some of the factors that lead to preventable cancers not being picked up early enough.

You can find the article (and the podcast) at: https://ark-invest.com/podcast/genetic-counseling/.