Genetic counselors advise and assist people on the origins and inheritance of genetic disorders and the genetic basis of diseases.

You use your expertise as a genetic counselor to provide information and counseling on genetic disorders and diseases that may have a genetic basis. You identify families or individuals at risk, analyze inheritance pattern, and then find and interpret information about the disorder. You investigate the symptoms of the disorder and discuss available options for intervention or treatment. As a genetic counselor, you focus on the study of genes and heredity–how genetic information and traits pass from parents to offspring.