I was originally going to type a post about genetics within the special education field. Then I ran across this article, Couple sues over failed Down Syndrome diagnosis and was going to write about wrongful birth lawsuits. However, there has been so much in the news today about DTC gene tests which I couldn’t ignore. DTC [...]
Entries Tagged as ‘Kelly Rogel’
March 15, 2010
Does History Shape Society’s Attitude Towards Genetics?
I visited D.C. as an undergraduate student and spent a majority of my time wandering around various Smithsonian museums. I got to see Dorothy’s ruby slippers, Kermit the frog, and Apollo 11 artifacts. There was one exhibit that left a lasting impression on me which was the Deadly Medicine: Creating The Master Race exhibit at the Holocaust museum. [...]
February 11, 2010
Emerging Technology vs Old School
I don’t know about you but I have a love-hate relationship with technology. It can make things simpler but it can also make things more difficult. There are days where I miss old school…..you know….regular paper and pens. There are also days where I am thankful for oodles of information available at a click. Regardless [...]
December 14, 2009
Practicing What We Preach: Genetic Counselors, Disability, and Advocacy
Disclaimer: I do not consider my deafness a disability, however, society defines it as a disability. Therefore, I utilize quote marks and refer to it as “disability.” As genetic counselors we are trained to respect and advocate for patients. We are also trained to not to make pre-assumptions about their strengths, skills, and weaknesses. [...]
October 21, 2009
How To Work With Interpreters
Jessica’s most recent post, Interpretation Declined, struck a chord with me. She brings up a very good topic and it was refreshing for me to see it from a different perspective. I wanted to expand on this topic some more since I have utilized interpreters as both a genetic counselor and as a patient. Jessica [...]
August 28, 2009
Label Jars….Not People
As genetic counselors we hope to make a difference in someone’s life. Why not expand on that? While our primary focus should be on our patients, we should also strive to utilize our skills outside of the workplace. Not only will this have an impact on the world, it will also indirectly have an impact [...]
July 23, 2009
When The Line Between Being A Friend and A Genetic Counselor Becomes Fuzzy
Set scene. It’s 9 pm on a Friday night and I walk into a friend’s apartment all ready to catch up on meaningless gossip with friends. “Kelly! I have a genetics question for you.” “What if I have a family history of *insert condition* what are the chances of me having that condition?” “Is it [...]
