Could you tell us a little bit about your educational background?

I graduated from the University of Oregon in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and psychology and an emphasis in neuroscience. After graduating, I completed a couple of prerequisite classes online while working in genetics and then clinical immunology research.

What first got you interested in the healthcare field as a career choice? There are a lot of career options in the field -nursing, physician assistant, etc., what made you decide that genetic counseling was the right practice area/career choice for you?

My background is heavily based on research, and while I love research, I wanted to have more interaction with people and be able to make a quicker and more direct impact. I did not learn about genetic counseling until my senior year of college, but part of what drew me to the field is how dynamic, supportive, and collaborative it is. Genetic counseling is the perfect combination of my favorite areas of study - biology, and psychology - and allows me to learn, educate, and help people all at the same time.

What type of obstacles have you had to overcome on the road to getting your education and in particular in pursuing your Genetic Counseling degree?

An obstacle I faced was being in an area where genetic counselors and opportunities to get involved in health care were lacking. So before applying to programs, I moved states and changed jobs in order to gain more relevant experiences. An obstacle I am currently facing to obtaining my Genetic Counseling degree is living in a different state than my husband.

What are you most looking forward to about beginning your Genetic Counseling studies?

I am really looking forward to building friendships with my cohort and establishing a network of people that I can carry with me throughout my career. Also, after multiple gap years between undergrad, I am excited to finally be studying my passion and starting a career I love.

What is one fun and interesting fact about you?

I learned to ski when I was 3 years old and had been doing it every winter since! My parents helped teach me by having me on a leash.