Day-to-Day Responsibilities
Take a detailed family and medical history, often drawing a pedigree (family tree) to spot patterns of inheritance.
Explain what an inherited condition is, how it passes from parents to children, and what a genetic test can and cannot show.
Help patients and families understand their risk, such as the chance of passing a condition on to a child.
Work with doctors, clinical geneticists and laboratory teams to decide which genetic tests suit a patient.
Interpret and explain test results, including results that are uncertain, unexpected or only partly clear.
Support people through hard decisions, such as prenatal testing or cancer risk, and refer them to other specialists or support groups.
Keep accurate records, follow consent and confidentiality rules, and sometimes train other staff or run awareness sessions for the community.
