MS Genetic Counseling Program

Our Program & Profession

Boston University’s medical school and teaching hospital offer access to tremendous resources for clinical experiences, with an incredibly diverse patient population, making this the only program to be located within an academic medical center in New England within a safety net hospital setting. Students have exposure to patient simulation sessions with standard patients, inter-professional education, and are able to enroll in elective courses through several other BU schools and departments, including the Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine Program and the School of Public Health.

Mission Statement and Objective

The BU Genetic Counseling Program is committed to providing high-quality training through dynamic coursework, dedicated mentoring, diverse fieldwork and innovative learning experiences to develop motivated genetic counselors to meet the needs of an expanding landscape in genetics and genomics. The primary objective of the Master of Science Degree Program in Genetic Counseling is to educate graduate students in the core concepts of human genetics and counseling.

Our focus is to provide students with the appropriate knowledge, experience and mentoring to become competent, sensitive and motivated genetic counselors. This is accomplished through a variety of educational experiences including coursework, clinical training, research project preparation and supplementary activities such as case conferences, grand rounds, journal clubs and seminars. Learn more about Genetic Counseling and the National Society of Genetic Counselors.

Teamwork, Collaboration, and Commitment to Cultural Humility

Boston University’s medical school and teaching hospital offer access to tremendous resources for clinical experiences, with a diverse patient population, making this the only program to be located within an academic medical center in New England with a safety net hospital on campus, Boston Medical Center. Students gain experience working with an incredibly diverse patient population, including the underserved and uninsured.

We strive to provide students with experiences that match their clinical and future professional interests. Students have exposure to inter-professional education and teaching opportunities, standard patient simulation experiences and are able to enroll in elective courses through several other BU schools and departments, including the Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine Program and the School of Public Health. Our program encourages collaboration and a supportive environment for which to learn from each other. We work as a team, and work to ensure our students receive training that is also personalized to their interests and future goals.

Over the past three years, Graduate outcomes are as follows:

• 98% of students graduate on time.
• 97% of students who enter the program graduate.
• 90% of graduates pass the ABGC certification exam on first attempt. All have ultimately passed the ABGC certification exam on a second attempt. Overall, the program has a 100% pass rate during this timeframe.
• 95% of recent graduates are employed within 3 months of graduation with their job of choice.

The Master of Science Program in Genetic Counseling at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling, Inc., 7918 Jones Branch Drive, Ste. 300, McLean, VA 22102. Telephone: (703)506-7667.

Upcoming Events and Contact Information

*Due to COVID-19, our medical campus is unable to accommodate any in person visits to campus until further notice.* Under typical operations, we invite prospective applicants to contact us to schedule a date/time to visit and learn more about the campus and program, or to participate in a BUGCP Open House or a Prospective Student Webinar. For more information or questions regarding the BU Genetic Counseling Program, please email gcprog@bu.edu.

Learn more about our program in the video below: