title: 2013 Review and Update of the Genetic Counseling Practice Based Competencies by a Task Force of the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling.
abstract: The first practice based competencies (PBCs) for the field of genetic counseling were adopted by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC), 1996. Since that time, there has been significant growth in established and new work settings (clinical and non-clinical) and changes in service delivery models and the roles of genetic counselors. These changes prompted the ABGC to appoint a PBC Task Force in 2011 to review the PBCs with respect to their current relevance and to revise and update them as necessary. There are four domains in the revised PBCs: (I) Genetics Expertise and Analysis (II) Interpersonal, Psychosocial and Counseling Skills (III) Education and (IV) Professional Development and Practice. There are 22 competencies, each clarified with learning objectives or samples of activities and skills; a glossary is included. New competencies were added that address genomics, genetic testing and genetic counselors' roles in risk assessment, education, supervision, conducting research and presenting research options to patients. With PBCs serving as the pre-defined abilities or outcomes of training, graduating genetic counselors will be well prepared to enter the field with a minimum level of skills and abilities. A description of the Task Force's work, key changes and the 2013 PBCs are presented herein.
authors.affiliation: Screening and Genetics Unit, Washington State Department of Health, 20425 72nd Ave. S., Suite #310, Kent, WA, 98032, USA. debra.lochnerdoyle@doh.wa.gov.
authors.forename: Debra Lochner
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.affiliation: Counsyl Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Rawan I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Awwad
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.|Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Jehannine C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Bonnie J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Baty
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bergner
authors.affiliation: Translational Neuroscience Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Brewster
authors.affiliation: Health, Behavior and Society, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.|Social and Behavioral Research Branch, The National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Lori A H
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Erby
authors.affiliation: Quest Diagnostics Inc., Valencia, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Cathi Rubin
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Franklin
authors.affiliation: Joan H. Marks Graduate Program in Human Genetics, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Greb
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Robin E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Grubs
authors.affiliation: NextGxDx, Inc, Franklin, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Gillian W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Hooker
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Services, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.|Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah Jane
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Noblin
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kelly E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Ormond
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Christina G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Petty
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Services, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Claire N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Singletary
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Spectrum Health, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Toriello
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Carol S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Walton
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.|Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Wendy R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Uhlmann
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation; D026683:Advisory Committees; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D006801:Humans; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014481:United States
keywords: Curriculum; Genetic counseling; Genetic counselors; Graduate program accreditation; Practice based competencies (PBCs); Training