Clinical rotations are an essential component to the training of genetic counselors. The program at Rutgers demonstrates its commitment to clinical training by offering a variety of clinical training sites, spanning both years of training.
During year one, students will be assigned to work with a variety of genetic counselors to observe and begin to practice beginning skills. The goal of these assignments is to begin to apply the knowledge learned in class and appreciate what these beginning skills look like in a clinical setting. First year students will spend on average 3-4 days per month with a genetic counselor.
The main clinical rotations are held during the summer semester and then in the fall and spring of the 2nd year. Students receive 4 credit hours for spending a minimum of 20 hours of week at their clinical placement. These rotations are 10-12 weeks long as we believe that a lengthier clinical rotation allows for the most growth and exposure to a wide variety of genetic indications. Students will be assigned to work with experienced, board certified genetic counselors specializing in prenatal, pediatric, cancer, and other sub-specialties.
Some of our clinical rotations include:
- Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Pediatrics
- Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine
- Cancer Institute of New Jersey
- St. Peters Department Medical Genetics and Genomic Medicine
- Morristown Medical Center
- Meridian Health Cancer Genetic Counseling
- Monmouth Medical Center
- New Jersey Perinatal
- St. Joseph's Medical Center
We are excited to offer students the opportunity to work closely with genetic counselors working in a variety of settings. In addition to three unique hospital based rotations, in the Spring of the 2nd year, each student will also have the opportunity to work with a genetic counselor working in a non-hospital based role. An emerging trend in the genetic counseling work force is the increasing variety of job opportunities. Genetic counselors are expanding their role beyond the hospital and are working for a variety of genetic testing companies, in research, or other industry jobs.
As part of the Spring second year course, Genetic Counseling in the 21st Century, students will perform an additional "rotation" with a genetic counselor working in non-hospital based setting. This placement will occur over the course of the semester, with a minimum of 60 contact hours. As experiences are expected to vary among the students, class time will be dedicated to student discussion of the experiences.
Some examples of the companies we have partnered with for our Non-Hospital Rotations include:
