On Genetic Counselor Appreciation Day, I Sing The Genetic Counselor Body Electric

For Genetic Counselor Appreciation Day, this coming 12th of November, I riff on Walt Whitman and sing the genetic counselor body electric.

I sing the global community of genetic counselors, genetic counsellors, conseillers en génétique, aconselhadores genéticos/conselheiros genéticos, asesores genéticos, mga tagapayo sa henetika, genetisch consulenten, جینیاتی مشیروں” (genetic counseloren), consulenti genetici, genetische berater, 遺伝カウンセラー (Iden kaunserā), مستشارين جينيين (mustasharīn jīniyyīn). genetiske veiledere, יועצים גנטיים (yo-et-zeem ge-ne-teem), and आनुवंशिक सलाहकार (aanuvanshik salahkar).*

I sing the beautiful variety of our bodies and minds. We come in many shapes, sizes, colors, beliefs, sexes, genders, backgrounds, skills, abilities, sexual orientations, and passions. May we only grow more diverse.

I sing the pioneer genetic counselors of the 1970s and 1980s who persisted, insisted and resisted until they created a vital, thriving profession where before there was a void no one was even aware of. I sing us as we fade away into retirement and whatever lies beyond this good old life.

I sing the new generation of genetic counselors who have learned from the Old Guard but have the good sense to disregard what is no longer relevant, useful, or ethical. At some point you realize that we weren’t any smarter than you; we just acted like we were.

I sing the next generation of genetic counselors, the students enmeshed now in learning and later worried about earning. You are smarter and more capable than you might realize.

I sing the genetic counselors across six continents** who are fighting the good fight in their countries to establish training programs, recognition, reimbursement, and integration into their health care systems. Damn, it’s so frustrating. But the wall of resistance will crumble as l’Ancien Régime fades into oblivion. You will lead the practice and profession to places we can’t even imagine today.

I sing the genetic counselors who have dwelled in the Land of Burn Out, where once I dwelled too. To switch poetic gears and riff on Bob Dylan, we gave them our hearts but they wanted our souls. If you can think twice, may you find hope and strength again. If not, it’s alright. Know that you didn’t waste your precious time because you still managed to make a difference in an indifferent world.

I sing those genetic counselors who I have met and who I have never met who have inspired me and made me think differently about the world or otherwise opened my eyes. I sing those who have disagreed with me or criticized me. I sing all the critics of genetic counseling because you force us to become better people and better providers.

I sing genetic counselors who carry out research that examines our history, practices, ethics, biases, failures, and successes to better understand how we can make the world a better place for patients.

And most of all I sing the patients and families who have trusted us with the scariest, most joyful, most threatening, terrible, wonderful, saddest, and private moments of their lives.

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*- Apologies to those languages I left out due to space constraints, and for those translations of the term “genetic counselors” that search engines led me astray on.

**- Penguins generally don’t benefit from genetic counseling. Besides, they have really cool genomes and who would want to mess around with such wonderful creatures?