Labcorp hiring Genetic Counselor, Infertility - Remote in North Carolina, United States | LinkedIn (2024)

FAQs

Can genetic counselors work remotely? ›

Genetic counselors can work remotely and often have a flexible schedule. You'll need to earn the right credentials — often a master's degree — but this career can be incredibly rewarding.

Employment of genetic counselors is projected to grow 16 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 300 openings for genetic counselors are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

The average hourly rate for genetic counselors is $35.94 per hour. Genetic counselor salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Genetic counselors earn the highest average salary in California.

Genetic counseling can be personally rewarding but also stressful. With the flexibility to work part time, it's not a stressful career for everyone, but it certainly can be.

The states and districts that pay Genetic Counselors the highest mean salary are California ($131,800), Massachusetts ($114,330), Vermont ($105,190), Connecticut ($104,990), and Colorado ($103,440).

Some challenges about being a genetic counselor are possibly not knowing what a disease is or not knowing what a cure could be for a problem. Also dealing with emotional clients and the extensive list of classes that you have to take to be a genetic counselor.

Graduate programs in genetic counseling are very competitive. Class sizes range from 4 to 25 students, though most programs get over 100 applicants each year. You'll need a minimum of a 3.0 undergraduate GPA just to apply.

Now, there are only 7,500 to 8,000 genetic counselors worldwide. Not all of them are working as genetic counselors currently.

Is it worth it to be a genetic counselor? ›

Benefits of Being a Genetic Counselor

The U.S. News Best Job Report of 2023 ranks genetic counselors as #2 for best healthcare support jobs and #25 on the list of top jobs overall. Helping people understand their options and explore their healthcare options can be very rewarding.

Almost 90% of genetic counselors reported that they were satisfied or very satisfied with their job in a recent survey.

Although genetic counselors tend to be well-respected members of the healthcare team, our roles aren't always clearly defined – there are lots of opportunities for educating other providers on our field.

Like most careers in the healthcare industry, genetic counseling can be emotionally and mentally exhausting. You will often deliver bad news to your patients and will have to complete each genetic test accurately to ensure you can help your patients make the most informed decisions about their health.

According to the 2021 professional status survey by the National Society of Genetic Counselors, 90 percent of genetic counselors in the United States are white, and the percentages of genetic counselors identifying as Black or Hispanic/Latino/Latinx¹ are not proportionally representative of the general U.S. population, ...

Some countries like the U.K. and Australia have defined pathways for genetic counselors trained outside their country. Although the ABGC certification may not be accepted by countries outside of the U.S., it may be helpful to have in the job searching process.