Incoming head of Boise State’s genetic counseling program has her sights set on the future

Amber Gemmell, formerly a senior genetic counselor with University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, is the new program director for Boise State's genetic counseling program.

The Boise State offering, a two-year program enrolling a dozen master's-level students each fall, was the first fully online program when it launched in 2019. Since its inception, the College of Health Sciences program has steadily expanded its reach to serve students from across Idaho, the Pacific Northwest and several other states. Gemmell has called Texas home now for many years and will continue to lead and direct from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Students enter the genetic counseling program having already earned their bachelor's degrees, often but not always in biology, microbiology, chemistry or another field of science. Many continue to work in clinics, labs and other settings as they complete asynchronous classes and field placements. The program often attracts older students, those with a career or two behind them, and parents. Students often have a background of advocacy and/or volunteering, with exposure to the profession and the challenges faced by members of the disability community and other vulnerable populations.

They come to the field with a love of science, a passion for helping others and familiarity with the role of genetic counseling.

What is genetic counseling?

Genetic counseling is offered by certified professionals. It assesses personal and family risks for inherited disorders, and supports patients through testing options and choices.

Gemmell discovered the field via a textbook description in high school. She went on to secure a shadowing placement, work in a research lab and in advocacy settings, and pursue her graduate degree in genetic counseling in Minnesota.

For genetic counselores, exposure to the field is crucial. The Boise State team works with more than three-dozen hospitals, health systems, testing labs, clinics and other settings to place students in appropriate skill-building clinical rotations close to their homes. These placements provide the practical experience students will need once they obtain certification to work in the profession. Supervised by genetic counselors, students have the opportunity to see patients in person and online.

Nearly six-dozen students have graduated from the Boise State program, with a job placement rate of more than 90 percent. Bronco genetic counselors graduate equipped with the skills to work in policy, nonprofits, labs, clinics, hospitals and training programs.

The future is full of innovation

So, what's next? As health care adapts to changes in demographic patterns of living and working, Gemmell's got her eye on what students may want to be doing in the future.

Gemmell developed an award-winning online program for prospective genetic counselors - particularly to enhance exposure to the profession for rural students who might not have shadowing opportunities

"I'm looking forward to finding innovative ways to train genetic counselors," she said, "and being innovative in our curriculum, so that students are trained to practice in a variety of settings outside of the traditional clinical setting."

About Genetic Counseling

The Master of Science in Genetic Counseling program at Boise State aims to expand access to the profession of genetic counseling by integrating the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC) standards into an innovative online learning experience that will provide students with a comprehensive education to be skilled, empathetic healthcare professionals. The MS in Genetic Counseling program employs best practice techniques in student support and recruitment: commitment, deliberate communication and action, adopting a framework to support students from all walks of life, and fostering a sense of belonging. Learn more at boisestate.edu/geneticcounseling.

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