{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,19]],"date-time":"2026-02-19T12:47:29Z","timestamp":1771505249953,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,1]],"date-time":"2023-09-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1693526400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Journal of Genetic Counseling"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p>Despite the increasing numbers of genetic assistants (GAs) in the genomics workforce, their training needs and how to best prepare GAs for their role have not been well defined. We sought to identify the current educational status of GAs, opinions on their training needs, and attitudes about GA training programs (GATPs). Survey links were emailed to NSGC members, 17 state genetic counseling (GC) professional organizations, and genomic medicine researchers. Respondents (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u2009411) included GCs (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u2009231) and GAs (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u2009136). Like other studies, we found that the GA position is filled by a range of education levels and career aspirations. Most respondents supported the creation of GATPs, with 63% endorsing that GATPs would be helpful and half endorsing a short\u2010term (3\u2009months or less) program. Most believed GATPs should focus on general knowledge, with almost all practical skills learned on\u2010the\u2010job. If more GATPs are created, our survey provides evidence that graduates would be hired. Indeed, of those whose work setting required a bachelor's degree, the number of respondents who favored keeping that requirement was similar to the number who favored hiring a GA without a degree if they attended a GATP. However, there were concerns about GATPs. Many (44%) believed creating GATPs could discourage candidates from becoming GAs. We observed that there are two types of GAs: entry\u2010level and bachelor's\u2010level, with the entry\u2010level being those who do not have and are not working to obtain a bachelor's degree and the bachelor's\u2010level being those who do\/are. GATPs could focus on the education of entry\u2010level GAs, while gaps in the knowledge base of bachelor's\u2010level GAs could be addressed by augmenting bachelor's curriculum or providing additional training after hire. Further research on the training needs of GAs and hiring practices of institutions will be vital to understanding their training needs and designing and implementing effective GATPs.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/jgc4.1780","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,1]],"date-time":"2023-09-01T08:56:26Z","timestamp":1693558586000},"page":"733-744","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Survey of the training needs of genetic assistants supports the creation of genetic assistant training programs"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"33","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7765-2988","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Renee A.","family":"Rider","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Genomic Medicine NHGRI, NIH  Bethesda Maryland USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6608-0336","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luis","family":"Cubano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Directorate for STEM Education NSF  Alexandria Virginia USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4510-9563","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ebony B.","family":"Madden","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Training, Diversity and Health Equity Office NHGRI, NIH  Bethesda Maryland USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0962-3290","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Robb K.","family":"Rowley","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Genomic Medicine NHGRI, NIH  Bethesda Maryland USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5844-4382","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Teri\u00a0A.","family":"Manolio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Genomic Medicine NHGRI, NIH  Bethesda Maryland USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_12_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.npls.2016.01.001"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jgc4.1671"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365\u20102648.2007.04569.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.afjem.2017.08.001"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jgc4.1718"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_7_1","unstructured":"Geisinger. (n.d.).Genomic assistant program.https:\/\/www.geisinger.edu\/research\/departments\u2010and\u2010centers\/genomic\u2010health\/genomic\u2010medicine\u2010assistant\u2010program"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41436\u2010020\u20100797\u20102"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jgc4.1148"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10897\u2010017\u20100158\u20108"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_11_1","unstructured":"Johns Hopkins University. (n.d.).Genetic assistant training program.https:\/\/genetic\u2010assistant.ooe.jhmi.edu\/"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jgc4.1589"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jgc4.1720"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ymgme.2022.107370"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_15_1","unstructured":"NSGC. (2022a).2022 professional status survey: Executive summary.https:\/\/www.nsgc.org\/Portals\/0\/Executive%20Summary%20Final%2005\u201003\u201022.pdf"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_16_1","unstructured":"NSGC. (2022b).2022 professional status survey: Work environment.https:\/\/www.nsgc.org\/Portals\/0\/Executive%20Summary%20Final%2005\u201003\u201022.pdf"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10897\u2010016\u20100039\u20106"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/jan.13577"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_19_1","unstructured":"University of Connecticut. (n.d.).Clinical genetics and genomics online graduate certificate.https:\/\/clinicalgeneticscertificate.online.uconn.edu\/"}],"container-title":["Journal of Genetic Counseling"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/jgc4.1780","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,12]],"date-time":"2024-08-12T06:29:34Z","timestamp":1723444174000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/jgc4.1780"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,9]]},"references-count":18,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,8]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1002\/jgc4.1780"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/jgc4.1780","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["1059-7700","1573-3599"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1059-7700","type":"print"},{"value":"1573-3599","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,9]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2023-03-07","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2023-08-19","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2023-09-01","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}