The Roles of and Demand for Genetic Assistants
Open Access Depositedand a booth at the NSGC annual conference. Paid advertisements through NSGC and ABGC yielded the highest response rates. Free and low-cost methods, such as advertisements through state genetic counseling organizations, were cost-effective alternatives. Recruitment at the NSGC conference had a low yield relative to its cost. The test-retest analysis assessed survey reliability, demonstrating moderate to high agreement for most question-answer choices. Some questions had a few answer choices with lower test-retest reliability. In my study population, the supply of GAs is relatively homogeneous. Most GAs worked in direct patient care (77%). The majority were women (90%), white (84%), held bachelor’s degrees (98%), and were using the position to transition into their career and become a Genetic Counselor (70%). Employment settings and roles varied, with GAs performing administrative and clinical tasks. Notably, 33% of GA respondents reported contacting patients with negative genetic test results, highlighting the expanding responsibilities of GAs in patient interactions. The findings suggest that while the GA workforce is slightly more diverse than genetic counselors (GCs) in terms of demographics, specifically sexual orientation and disability status, it remains predominantly homogeneous in racial composition. While most (96%) of respondents have had some training related to their job duties as a GA. Many (64%) would like additional training opportunities, with 60% wanting their employer to offer training opportunities. My study reveals that the demand for GAs is expected to continue to increase. Results revealed that financial constraints emerged as key barriers to hiring GAs. Notably, GAs who have already earned their bachelor’s degree and are using the GA position to gain experience to transition their career (post-bachelor’s, transitioning GAs) were the most common group, with many noting benefits of hiring them, such as requiring less training. However, GAs across educational backgrounds were given similar tasks. Those with multiple types of GAs in their work setting were less likely to report relative benefits of one over the other. Projections indicate at least a 25% increase in GA positions within the next 3–5 years. While a large portion of the increased GA workforce is expected to be post-bachelor’s, transitioning GAs, most work settings will allow GAs of all educational backgrounds to apply. This dissertation highlights the critical and expanding role of GAs in addressing the growing demand for genetic services. These results offer actionable insights for workforce development, recruitment strategies, and policy considerations to support the sustainable integration of GAs into the genomics healthcare landscape.
The rapid advancements in genetic testing and increasing demand for genetic services have outpaced the availability of trained professionals in the genomics workforce. In this dissertation, I investigated the roles and demand for genetic assistants (GAs), a burgeoning segment of the healthcare workforce supporting genetic counselors (GCs) and other genetic professionals. Using a national survey of GAs, those GAs assist, and hiring authorities, I characterized the supply of and demand for GAs. I report the results of this dissertation using a three-article format. The first article is about the methods I used and examines the effectiveness of various recruitment strategies and validates a comprehensive survey instrument for assessing GA roles. The second article describes the supply of GAs, including the demographics, educational backgrounds, and employment characteristics of GAs. It also explores the variations in tasks and responsibilities based on educational attainment and career aspirations, providing insights into workforce utilization. The third article describes the demand for GAs and analyzes trends and institutional policies affecting hiring practices. Recruitment methods included paid advertisements through the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) and the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC)
free or low-cost advertisements through professional organizations, social media, and research consortia
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