Medical Genetics is a very specialised area of health care which deals with the impact of inherited or familial health conditions. Some of these conditions can be common such as heart disease and diabetes, while others can be very rare and only occur in a few people within a community.
Some of the specialist health professionals who provide services to address these genetic health challenges are listed below.
Clinical geneticists are medically trained doctors who achieve further specialized training and qualifications in genetics. They are experts in diagnosing conditions that are inherited or caused by a change in a gene. A clinical geneticist can diagnose a condition which is very rarely seen by other health carers and therefore can have an impact on ensuring appropriate treatments and services can be administered as soon as possible. Clinical geneticists can further become specialized to focus on a particular areas such as metabolic genetic conditions, cardiac genetic conditions, or inherited cancers.
Genetic counselors are allied health professionals who have achieved a minimum Masters level qualification in genetic counseling. They provide a holistic service to individuals and families impacted by a genetic condition and assist them in both understanding the condition and adapting to the impacts it has on their family today and in the future.
Genetic scientists have a very detailed understanding of the way in which our genetic information can impact on developing a health condition. Human genetic information is complex and genetic scientists have specialised training to interpret the data a genetic test can provide. They also work together with clinical geneticists and genetic counselors to provide the most accurate and valid information to individuals and families they see in clinic. Importantly, genetic scientists with postgraduate qualifications may carry out research contributing to the body of biological knowledge that can help diagnose, prevent or even treat inheritable disorders.
