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An Exploratory Study of Employers’ Attitudes Towards a Clinical Doctorate in Genetic Counseling

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Journal of Genetic Counseling

Abstract

Creation of an advanced degree in genetic counseling has been considered since the early 1980s. The Genetic Counseling Advanced Degree Task Force (GCADTF) was convened in 2012 to formally explore the potential suitability of a clinical doctorate (ClinD), though employer perspectives of advanced training were not part of the discussion. The conclusion of this group was that the field was not ready to move to an entry-level clinical doctorate at this time but that further education and research among other stakeholders was necessary (Nagy et al. 2014). In this study, we describe employers’ perspectives on developing a clinical doctorate in genetic counseling based upon thirty audio-recorded semi-structured phone interviews that were transcribed verbatim and qualitatively analyzed. Overall, employers expressed concerns regarding the economic viability of ClinD training but envisioned expanded roles for genetic counselors (especially in areas of education and research) and enhanced credibility. While some employers reported that they would provide flexibility and tuition assistance for acquisition of a ClinD, for many employers, support was contingent on perceived value of the degree. Some employers were not clear about the difference between a ClinD and a PhD, suggesting that there is a need for educating employers about advanced degree options for the genetic counseling field. Future research could include investigating employer attitudes about market needs, envisioned roles, and compensation formulas for counselors with a ClinD or other forms of advanced training.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant from the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) Audrey Heimler Special Projects Fund. We would like to thank the genetic counselors who participated in this study by identifying their employers and the employers who graciously agreed to participate. We also thank the NSGC leadership for providing their mailing list and Colette Hyatt, MS, CGC and Louise Amlie-Wolf, MS, CGC for transcription of the audio recordings.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) Audrey Heimler Special Projects Fund.

Conflict of Interest

Kathleen Valverde, Rebecca Mueller, Breah Paciotti and Laura Conway declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human Studies and Informed Consent

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Animal Studies

This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genetic Counseling Program, Arcadia University, 450 S. Easton Road, Glenside, PA, 19038, USA

    Kathleen Valverde & Laura Conway

  2. Department of the History and Sociology of Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Rebecca Mueller

  3. Mixed Methods Research Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Breah Paciotti

Authors
  1. Kathleen Valverde
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  2. Rebecca Mueller
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  3. Breah Paciotti
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  4. Laura Conway
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kathleen Valverde.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Email Recruitment

Purpose

This study will assess the knowledge and interest in a clinical doctorate in genetic counselors among employers, as well as increase awareness of the clinical doctorate in the genetic counseling profession.

You were randomly selected from the NSGC membership directory to participate in a study. The genetic counseling Master’s program at Arcadia University in the Philadelphia area would like to invite you to participate in a study exploring the opinions of your employer regarding the employability of genetic counselors with a clinical doctorate. As the roles of genetic counselors continue to expand, the field is exploring the possibility of creating a doctorate degree in order to accommodate the growing needs for genetic services. While studies exploring a PhD in this field have been done, there is no comparable study exploring a clinical doctorate. A clinical doctorate offers more advanced clinical training. Many other allied health professions including nursing, physical therapy and occupational therapy have already made this transition to offering doctoral training past the master's level.

Participation in this study involves identifying your supervisor or employer. Please ask your supervisor to participate in this study. If he or she agrees to participate please send me your employer's contact information, email or telephone contact. We will then contact your employer and ask them to participate in a 20 minute telephone interview addressing their opinions on hiring a genetic counselor with a clinical doctorate. Responses will be confidential.

Appendix 2: Excerpt from Consent form for Employers

The Development of a Doctorate Degree in Genetic Counseling: Exploring the Employability of Genetic Counselors with a Clinical Doctorate.

Invitation to participate: You are being asked to participate in a research study because you participate in and/or make decisions in the hiring of genetic counselors within your institution in one of the following areas: clinical settings, clinical laboratories, government agencies and companies employing genetic counselors to provide clinical services.

Purpose: This study will assess the knowledge and interest in a clinical doctorate in genetic counselors among employers, as well as increase awareness of the clinical doctorate in the genetic counseling profession.

Appendix 3: Interview Guide

Interview Guide for Telephone Interviews with Employers

  1. 1.

    How many genetic counselors does your institution employ?

  2. 2.

    Are you familiar with the term clinical doctorate? How would you view this degree for genetic counselors?

    1. a.

      Prompt: If the respondent answered that they were not familiar with the term, the following definition was provided:

      The clinical doctorate is the degree from a doctoral level program that is designed to prepare already credentialed or licensed individuals to practice clinically with competencies above and beyond those expected of entry-level professionals. They are distinguished from research doctorates (e.g., Ph.Ds) in that they do not require dissertations and the original research upon which the dissertations are based.

  3. 3.

    What roles could you envision for genetic counselors with an advanced degree?

  4. 4.

    Would your organization provide tuition assistance for a genetic counselor to obtain an

    advanced degree? Do you have limits on the number of credits an employee can take per year?

  5. 5.

    Could your organization provide flexibility in the genetic counselor’s work week for one to two years while he/she obtains their degree?

  6. 6.

    Would your organization provide salary increases for genetic counselors with advanced degrees?

  7. 7.

    In your opinion would a genetic counselor with a clinical doctorate be more, less or about the same in terms of their employability?

  8. 8.

    Would you support genetic counselors obtaining an advanced degree?

  9. 9.

    What barriers do you see to employing genetic counselors with an advanced degree?

  10. 10.

    What benefits do you anticipate by employing genetic counselors with an advanced degree?

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Valverde, K., Mueller, R., Paciotti, B. et al. An Exploratory Study of Employers’ Attitudes Towards a Clinical Doctorate in Genetic Counseling. J Genet Counsel 25, 179–188 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-015-9856-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-015-9856-2

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