WashU Medicine Program in Genetic Counseling

Save the date! The virtual Prospective Genetic Counselor Student Fair, hosted by National Society of Genetic Counselors, will be held Thursday, September 24th from 11a-3p CT. Our program will participate and will have program leaders and current students available to answer questions to prospective students. Please register and join us! Check back closer to the date for our program's staffing schedule.

Virtual Genetic Counseling Career Fair Lobby - NSGC Student Fair 2026 Fair Schedule Register Navigating the Fair Resources for Prospective Genetic Counselors GCEA Genetic Counseling Admissions Match ACGC Accredited Program Directory Enter the fair CLICK HERE ENTER THE FAIR Click Here TRAINING PROGRAM INFO Click Here NAVIGATION TIPS Click Here HELP DESK Click Here...

Our program is well-represented this week at the virtual Genetic Counselor Educators Association Annual Conference, with several of our leaders and an alum contributing to the conversation on best practices in GC education.

We are especially proud of recent graduate Josie Cleveland, MS ('26), who presented her graduate research on the gap year experiences of prospective genetic counseling students. Josie was a featured speaker in a session focused on expanding pathways and access to the profession—a discussion moderated by our Assistant Program Director and Research Director, Erin Linnenbringer, PhD, MS, CGC. Seeing our recent graduates present their hard work on this stage is a testament to their dedication and the impact of their research.

Our faculty's involvement continues throughout the conference:
Program Director Rachael Bradshaw, MS, CGC is participating in a panel discussion tomorrow focused on the integration of interprofessional education within genetic counseling curriculums.

Associate Director Tomi Toler, DrPH, MS, CGC and Course Director Andrea Stacy Lehman, MS, CGC are also attending to bring new insights and educational strategies back to our classrooms.

Congratulations to Josie on an excellent presentation, and thank you to our leadership team for their ongoing commitment to advancing our field!

Today, we gathered with area genetic counselors for our program's annual virtual retreat. It was a fantastic day of learning together, collaborating on how to best support our students, and strengthening our shared mission.

We also took some time to honor the incredible educators who go above and beyond for our students. Please join us in congratulating this year’s award recipients! 🏆

👏 Chloe Cevan, MGC, CGC – Outstanding Supervisor Award
👏 Rachel Slaugh, MS, CGC – Outstanding GC Educator Award

Thank you both for your incredible dedication and mentorship and for providing exceptional educational experiences for our students. We are so grateful for all that you do! 🙌

This week, providers from WashU and SLU had the opportunity to participate in the inaugural PRIME (Pre-college Immersive-training Medical Experience) Program put on by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Geneticists, genetic counselors, genetic counseling students, genetics nurses, and dietitians delivered learning opportunities and hands-on activities to students from McCluer High School to give them exposure to the many things that are awesome about working in Medical Genetics. The week of genetics modules was coordinated through the Program in Genetic Counseling with the help of 15 different providers and students. We all had so much fun working with the students and hope we inspired some future colleagues!

We are here to celebrate Marysa Cristofaro, Class of 2027, for recently receiving the Martin and Margaret Israel Scholarship for the 2026–2027 academic year from the Fragile X Resource Center of Missouri. This award speaks to her commitment to supporting individuals and families with rare genetic conditions such as fragile X syndrome. Congratulations, Marysa!

After years of studying, Associate Director Dr. Tomi Toler officially graduated from the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine with her Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in Leadership, Advocacy, & Equity. She traveled to New Orleans recently for her formal hooding ceremony and graduation. She is excited to enrich the training of the students in the Program in Genetic Counseling with all she learned during her doctoral training.

We love a great interprofessional collaboration! 🌟

Program Director Rachael Bradshaw and Chloe Cevan (Lecturer/Clinical Supervisor) recently were given the opportunity to direct a course, "Genetics in Hearing Loss", for the Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences - PACS at WashU Medicine.

Today, Jessica Glunt (Class of '25) joined as a guest lecturer to present on "Psychosocial & Ethical Considerations in Genetic Testing for Hearing Loss."

Thank you to Chloe and Jessica for also demonstrating a live role play, highlighting the nuanced, critical support genetic counselors provide to parents navigating an unexpected diagnosis of hearing loss in their newborn.

Please join us in recognizing and celebrating the Program In Genetic Counseling's Class of 2026. Throughout their training, these graduates have demonstrated exceptional dedication to academic excellence, clinical care, research, and advocacy within the field of genetic counseling. We are proud to have supported them in their professional development and are confident they will make meaningful contributions to the communities and patients they serve. Congratulations on this significant milestone and achievement!

Our second-year students, the soon-to-be graduates of the Class of 2026, completed their final milestone in the program today by presenting their completed research projects. Faculty, research mentors, clinical supervisors, family, friends, and loved ones joined us both in person and virtually to hear about their outstanding work and celebrate this exciting achievement. Congratulations to Josie, Sophia, Pranathi, Hannah, Jenna, and Madeleine on all they have accomplished — we are so proud of you and look forward to all that lies ahead as you embark on a new journey as genetic counselors!

We are proud to announce that our Program Director, Rachael Bradshaw, MS, CGC, has been elected as the President-Elect of the Genetic Counselor Educators Association (GCEA).

GCEA is the premier organization dedicated to excellence in the training of genetic counselors across the United States and Canada. By stepping into this leadership role, Rachael will help shape the standards and innovations that define our profession.

This appointment is a testament to Rachael's commitment to GC education and the professional community. Please join us in celebrating this milestone!