Evaluating Interventions to Increase Interest in Genetic Counseling Among Underrepresented Minority High School Students in New York

Despite significant growth in the genetic counseling field over the past five decades, its workforce has remained largely homogenous, with the majority of genetic counselors (GCs) identifying as white females. This perpetuating diversity gap leads to underrepresentation of minority perspectives within the field and inequity of service for minority populations. Recognizing the importance of diversifying the field, this project aimed to build upon current community outreach efforts of the New York State Genetics Task Force (NYSGTF). The Task Force’s initiatives focus on the hypothesis that early exposure to genetic counseling–for example, presentations to high schoolers and college students in New York–could be pivotal in recruiting underrepresented groups into the field. We developed and successfully implemented an educational intervention designed to introduce genetic counseling to high school students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, in two New York City schools. We evaluated the effectiveness of the intervention by comparing pre- and post-survey responses, which revealed a significant improvement in students’ understanding of genetic counseling and increased interest in pursuing the career. Long-term follow up studies are warranted to further define how early exposure influences long-term career choices and diversity in the genetic counseling workforce.