Genetic counseling is a highly technical field with several organizations playing pivotal roles in shaping its standards, certification and education. This article provides an overview of the scopes of the three key organizations in North America for genetic counseling graduate training, accreditation and certification: the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC), the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) and the Genetic Counselor Educators Association (GCEA).
Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC)
The Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC) is the leading accreditation body for genetic counseling graduate programs. Its primary mission is to advance the quality of genetic counseling education by developing and maintaining the standards for educational and clinical training as well as overseeing the formation and review of the practice-based competencies of the profession.
ACGC is responsible for approving the accreditations of new educational programs across the United States and Canada as the field continues to grow. Additionally, accredited programs must undergo a process of reaccreditation at specified intervals which consists of a comprehensive Self-Study and a Site Visit by an ACGC review team. ACGC also conducts a peer-review process, known as the Review of Current Status, to evaluate genetic counseling programs on a year-to-year basis. All of these activities ensure each program continues to meet the established Standards of Accreditation.
The Standards of Accreditation for genetic counseling graduate programs were first introduced in 1996 by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC). In 2012, the ACGC became an independent organization and subsequently revised these standards in 2013, with continued revisions being published in October 2019 and August 2023. Revisions to the Standards of Accreditation aim to reflect ongoing developments in the field, and are reviewed every four years. The actual review process itself takes about two years from start to finish. The goal is to incorporate extensive feedback from internal and external sources with two rounds of public comment, one at the beginning and one near the end, prior to formal approval by the Board of Directors. Even once this process is concluded, ACGC aims to provide programs with approximately 18 months of lead time to come into compliance with the new Standards.
ACGC is also tasked with maintaining and developing the Practice-Based Competencies (PBCs). These competencies describe the seven practice-based competencies that are necessary for practice as an entry-level genetic counselor. Embedded within the seven competencies are 25 sub-competencies that support the attainment of the PBCs. For typical reviews, the process for reviewing the PBCs mirrors the process previously described for the Standards. The most recent iteration of the PBCs (published September 2023), consisted of a task force brought together in February 2020, comprised of 27 members representing various specialities, associations, and years of experience. This group worked on developing a version of the PBCs with a developmental framework in mind, allowing programs to have more flexibility in evaluating and assessing competence. Programs are required to be compliant with these new PBCs by June 15, 2025.
Volunteering with the organization is a meaningful way to give back to the profession while helping shape the future of genetic counseling education. Those who participate make a lasting impact on program quality and student outcomes to ensure programs uphold high standards in genetic counseling education.
American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC)
The American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) oversees the certification process for genetic counselors granting the Certified Genetic Counselor (CGC) credential to individuals who meet professional practice standards through specialized training and successful completion of the ABGC Certification Examination. Earning certification and the CGC credential demonstrates to employers, healthcare professionals, and the public that an individual (referred to as a Diplomate) possesses the knowledge, skills, and ethical standards required for effective practice as a genetic counselor. Additionally, ABGC provides resources for those who are preparing for their certification through their Candidate Guide, Content Outline, Reference List, and Practice Exam.
The organization plays a critical role in defining and upholding professional standards for certified genetic counselors. Every five years, ABGC conducts a comprehensive Practice Analysis by surveying all Diplomates about their current roles and practices. The findings from this survey inform the development of the CGC Exam Content Outline, which guides the structure and content of the certification examination.
To promote lifelong learning and uphold high professional standards, ABGC requires Diplomates to recertify every five years. Recertification involves the completion of CEUs that include many learning opportunities such as traditional in-person learning (conferences or in-services), Professional Activity Credits (PACS), and, starting in 2026, a new active learning component. This component will engage participants in the continuing competence learning scenario activities designed to reinforce best practices and enhance clinical decision-making through realistic case-based scenarios.
ABGC is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), which sets standards for the development, implementation, and maintenance of certification programs and board exam development. NCCA accreditation ensures that ABGC remains in full compliance with these national benchmarks.
Obtaining and maintaining certification by ABGC is often a requirement for employment and insurance credentialing and serves as a prerequisite for obtaining a genetic counseling license in all states where licensure is mandated.
Genetic Counselor Educators Association (GCEA)
The Genetic Counselor Educators Association (GCEA) focuses on promoting collaborative interactions among genetic counseling educators and supporting high standards of practice. Originally founded as the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors (AGCPD) for genetic counselors in program leadership, the organization evolved into GCEA to recognize the multitude of roles of individuals involved in genetic counselor education. This membership-based association is for both training programs and, as of 2025, individual educators. GCEA provides members with networking opportunities, educational opportunities, facilitates resource sharing, and fosters collaborations to promote equitable, inclusive, and just education for all future genetic counselors. GCEA also strives to advocate for training programs, educators, and their students in its interactions with ACGC, ABGC, and NSGC.
GCEA oversees the admissions process for the field via the Genetic Counseling Admissions Match in conjunction with the National Matching Service. For the past eight years, genetic counseling admissions have been conducted under the Match system. Previously, programs provided offers and waitlist notifications on a universal acceptance date, followed by a period of deadlines and rolling waitlists. The offer period was found to cause significant anxiety and lingering imposter syndrome for applicants, and complicated logistics for many training programs. Therefore, the field shifted to the Match. The Match algorithm favors the ranking of the applicant and eliminates the period of rolling waitlists. Ultimately, the process matches prospective students to genetic counseling training programs in North America to ensure the best fit for all.
The Role of North American Genetic Counseling Organizations
Each of these organizations play a crucial role in the stages of genetic counseling certification. ACGC ensures the quality of educational programs, ABGC certifies professionals to uphold high standards, and GCEA fosters collaboration and best practices among educators. Together, and through extensive behind-the-scenes collaboration, these groups contribute to the advancement and integrity of genetic counseling, ensuring that professionals are well-equipped to meet the needs of their clients.
These three groups came together to create an ACGC-ABGC-GCEA printable infographic for an easy, on-hand reference delineating the general scope and areas of responsibility between the organizations. The printable infographic also contains the contact information for each group in case any questions pertaining to their areas of responsibility may arise. This resource will also be available on all three organizations’ websites in the near future.
Photo by Diva Plavalaguna.
Diana Alzate, MS, LCGC (she/her/ella) is a board-certified genetic counselor and ACGC Communications Committee member. She works at Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine, an ultra-rapid whole genome sequencing laboratory in San Diego, California. She is responsible for ensuring accurate genomic reporting, development and maintenance of operations and reporting policies, and serving as a liaison between the laboratory team and clients.