Genetics counselors assess individual or family risk for a

Last updated: 4/3/2024

Genetics counselors assess individual or family risk for a variety of inherited conditions such as genetic disorders and birth defects They provide information and support to other healthcare providers or to individuals and families concerned with the risk of inherited conditions They work in university medical centers private and public hospitals and physicians offices They work with families patients and other medical professionals Most work full time and typically need a master s degree The median annual wage for genetic counselors was 67 500 in May 2014 SOURCE Bureau of Labor and Statistics U S Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook 2016 2017 Edition Genetics Counselors Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells Since it is a recessive disorder a person inheriting two sickle cell genes will have the disease whereas a person inheriting only one sickle cell gene will be healthy but will carry the sickle cell trait If both parents have the sickle cell trait and it is equally likely whether a parent passes on the gene for sickle cell trait determine the probability that 1 an offspring will have the disease 2 an offspring will have the sickle cell trait 3 an offspring will have neither sickle cell anemia nor the sickle cell trait