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Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes a successful Genetic Counselor?
What types of students will do well in this program?
Genetic Counselors
are generally highly motivated individuals. They want to advocate
strongly for their patients/clients, become valuable members of the
health care delivery team, remain on the forefront of the dissemination
of genetic knowledge and advancements to the medical community, and
participate in the education of the general public. Counselors are
intelligent, hard-working, compassionate, and reliable individuals.
Our program is
seeking potential genetic counselors who are qualified to take Master’s level
science and counseling courses. Ideal for candidates are
mature, confident, organized, and have excellent interpersonal and
communication skills. As this program is largely based on distance
education, good candidates will have experience with distance based course
work and/or be very conversant with computer/internet technology.
Candidates will have
a strong understanding of genetic counseling, the need for genetic counselors in
a variety of settings, and the directions/future of the profession.
These insights can be gained by spending time with a practicing genetic
counselor in a variety of settings.
How many students
generally will apply to this program? How many will be accepted?
The number of
students that apply will vary from year to year. In general we
receive between 30-40 applications
each year. We're able to admit 5-6 students per first year class
to the UAMS - Little Rock campus.
Students will only be
accepted to begin the program in fall semesters.
What is the
deadline for application for admission to the program?
February 15 - All
admissions materials are due to the UAMS Graduate School (http://www.uams.edu/gradschool/).
February - March -
Complete applications are reviewed by UAMS.
March - April -
Competitive applicants are invited to interview with the program
faculty.
AGCPD Universal Acceptance Date - Interviewed students are informed of
their acceptance status: Accepted, Wait-List, or Not Accepted.
This date changes from year to year, though typically occurs in late
April. The date is selected jointly by the program directors of
the American and Canadian genetic counseling programs.
What are the most
important criteria in considering my application for admission?
We seek students who
are genuinely interested in the field of genetic counseling and are
involved in activities that evidence this interest. Successful
applicants have the required academic scientific background that is
vital to understanding of human genetics. An applicant’s overall
academic and GRE performance is important for acceptance to our program.
See "Admission Requirements" for details.
Does UAMS offer
financial aid?
The Graduate School
encourages interested applicants to apply for financial aid through the
UAMS Financial Aid Office (www.uams.edu/studentfinancialaid/).
Can I visit the
program?
We encourage
interested applicants to visit with any of our faculty members and/or
observe clinical activities. We offer counseling to prospective
students who want to tailor their undergraduate coursework for future
application to our genetic counseling program. Please contact the
department to arrange a visit.
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