Could you tell us a little bit about your educational background?
I attended McGill University, in the bilingual, snowy city of Montreal, QC. I majored in anthropology with a double minor in Hispanic languages and social studies of medicine. After obtaining my Bachelor of Arts, I moved south, where I attended The University of Alabama in Huntsville and completed my science prerequisites for graduate school.
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?
I first heard about genetic counseling in high school when my neighbors shared their journey and struggle with infertility. I was taking biology at the time and enjoying learning about genetics. When my neighbors mentioned their visits to genetic counselors, I researched and eventually found shadowing opportunities at a nearby cancer clinic. I fell in love with the aspects of sharing knowledge with patients and promoting health through preventative options. The more I shadowed, the more I knew this was a field I wanted to be part of.
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?
There were several roadblocks I experienced on my journey to become a genetic counseling student. Whether it was a failed class or a professor that didn’t believe in me or even reapplying a second round to genetic counseling programs, there were many moments of doubting myself and my choices. Luckily, I am very determined, and I continued my journey of eight years to get to this seat as a genetic counseling student.
What are you most looking forward to about beginning your Genetic Counseling studies?
I am most looking forward to learning about the methods and skills it takes to properly counsel families and patients with hereditary conditions. I am also excited to begin my lifelong journey of continuous education in the field of genetics with my new classmates and soon-to-be colleagues.
What is one fun and interesting fact about you?
In my free time, I teach figure skating at Center Ice Arena to beginner-intermediate level skaters.
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