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13.1 Genetic Counselor Motivations, Culture, and Values
You’ve probably been asked by a number of people why you want to become a
genetic counselor. What do you usually say? Your response to this question contains
clues about your motivations for becoming a genetic counselor. These may include
the need to feel a sense of accomplishment, the need for stimulation (intellectual,
emotional, etc.), the need to have hope, the need to have fun, the need to have an
existential purpose in life (Cavanagh and Levitov 2002 ; Wells et al. 2016 ), the need
to help others, the need to feel powerful and in control, the need to feel competent,
the need to be altruistic, the need for security (financial, social, etc.), the need to be
liked, and the need to be respected. This is not an exhaustive list. You may have
other motivations as well.
According to the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC), “There are
many paths to genetic counseling, and the motivations for choosing genetic counsel-
ing are diverse. Many people start with an interest in genetics, but want something
more personal than laboratory work. Some individuals desire to be in the medical
field but do not think medical school is the best fit for them. Other students are
drawn to the counseling sides of genetic counseling, and enjoy the unique topics
genetic counselors cover (e.g., facilitating decision-making, reducing guilt, grief
and bereavement). Other reasons for choosing genetic counseling include an inter-
est in clinical research, genomic technologies, patient advocacy and education, and
the desire to be in a field that is always changing” (http://www.nsgc.org/page/fre-
quently-asked-questions-students n.d.).
Do you ever worry that you might have the wrong motivations for becoming a
genetic counselor? In our opinion, motivations, in and of themselves, are neither
right nor wrong, good nor bad. Rather, how and when we try to satisfy our needs
may lead to positive or negative outcomes. For example, you may be pursuing a
career in genetic counseling because it allows you to feel competent or capable. One
positive aspect of this motivation is it will likely prompt you to continually build
your skills and knowledge. On the other hand, if your desire to be competent is
excessive, that is, you believe you must be successful with every patient, the motiva-
tion may drive you to try to get patients and supervisors to say you did a great job
even when you did not. Similarly, if you desire to be liked, one positive aspect is that
you will probably be warm, nonthreatening, and encouraging with your patients.
But an excessive need to be liked could also lead you to avoid confronting patients
and/or keeping patients from expressing negative emotions toward you (e.g., anger).
It is important that you recognize and periodically review your motivations so you
can gauge their impact on your clinical practice. Staying aware of your motivations
increases the likelihood that you will remain positive about your clinical work and
act in patients’ best interests.
Our motivations are strongly grounded in our cultural values. Davis and
Voegtle ( 1994 ) identify four major cultural settings or affiliations that shape our
values:
13 Professionalism: Ethically Based Reflective Practice