Over the past two years, I have been thinking a lot about identity — both my personal identity as a Jewish woman and my professional identity as a genetic counselor (GC). These two threads of my life, once separate, have increasingly intertwined in ways I had not anticipated. As I have leaned more deeply into my Jewish identity, I’ve also found myself reflecting on what it means to claim, and reclaim, my professional identity as a GC. Both identities are complex, multidimensional and sometimes not easily understood by those who don’t share them. Yet both are deeply integral to who I am.

My journey back into the field of genetic counseling has been surprising, even to me. For more than two decades, I believed I had stepped away from the field entirely. A job change for my husband required me to leave my position as the director of the GC program at the University of Maryland. I returned to school to complete my doctorate in education and ultimately joined the faculty at GW in a department focused on preparing laboratory medical scientists. While I continued to teach a genetics course and support the profession through occasional volunteer work with the ACGC, I assumed my days of contributing directly to GC knowledge and scholarship were behind me. In 2021 I received an ABGC Research Grant to explore if GCs working in the laboratory would like a credential in laboratory medicine. My findings led to my proposing a study on GC professional identity, for which I was awarded the 2023 NSGC Jane Engelberg Memorial Fellowship. In reengaging with questions of GC professional identity, I have realized that I never truly left. Now, having reentered more fully, I feel like I’ve reconnected with my “tribe” — a term that, fittingly, someone recently used to describe the GC community during my visit to Australia to present my research. It struck me because “tribe” is also a word many of us use to describe the Jewish people. Once again, my identities converged.

Complexity of Jewish Identity

My personal exploration of Jewish identity has made me acutely aware of its nuances. Being Jewish is not one-dimensional. It is at once cultural, religious, ethnic and historical, and each individual may experience or prioritize those dimensions differently. For some, Jewish identity is rooted in faith and observance; for others, it is expressed through cultural practices, values or shared history. For me, it has been all of the above at different times in my life. What has been constant is the feeling that Jewish identity is not always fully understood by those outside of it. Explaining its meaning often requires contextualization, storytelling and vulnerability.

This resonates with the challenges I see in genetic counseling professional identity. Much like Jewish identity, GC professional identity is layered and evolving. It is both personal and collective, shaped by history yet responsive to change. And it, too, is not always well understood by those outside the profession, such as prospective students, employers or colleagues in related disciplines.

Professional Identity in Genetic Counseling

My recent research has focused on GC professional identity in the context of rapid advances in genomics. The field of genetic counseling has grown and shifted dramatically in recent decades, with GCs moving into new roles, workplaces, and specialties that were not previously imagined. This expansion is exciting, but it also challenges our shared understanding of what it means to “be” a genetic counselor. Are we clinicians? Educators? Policy experts? Industry partners? Advocates? Increasingly, the answer is: all of the above.

Such diversification requires a reexamination of our collective professional identity. Just as individuals define their Jewish identity in diverse ways, GCs are defining their professional identities in ways that reflect both personal strengths and emerging opportunities. For those considering entering the field, it may be unclear what a GC “is.” For employers, it may be challenging to define the scope and value of GC contributions. And for practicing GCs, it can prompt deep questions: Am I still a genetic counselor if I am not providing direct patient care? How do I describe my professional identity when my role does not fit neatly among the choices on the NSGC Professional Status Survey?

Parallels Between the Two

What strikes me most in drawing these parallels is the role of community. Identity is not formed in isolation; it is shaped through connection, dialogue and belonging. My Jewish identity is strengthened through engagement with others who share it. Similarly, my professional identity as a GC is nurtured in the company of colleagues, collaborators and students who share the language and values of the field.

Belonging, however, does not mean uniformity. Within Jewish communities, there is vast diversity of thought, practice and expression. Within the GC profession, there is equally wide variation in career paths and personal philosophies. What unites us is not sameness but shared commitment to certain values: empathy, advocacy and a belief in the power of genetics to inform and empower.

Reengaging with both my Jewish and GC identities has reinforced another important realization: identities can be reclaimed, even after long periods of distance. I once thought my time in GC had ended, just as at points I had felt less connected to my Jewish roots. In both cases, I discovered that identity does not disappear simply because it is not actively practiced. It lies dormant, waiting to be reawakened. Returning feels less like starting anew and more like coming home.

Moving Forward

As GCs, we are at an inflection point. Genomics will only continue to expand, creating opportunities for our roles to diversify further. At the same time, the need for clarity about our collective professional identity will grow. We must embrace this complexity, not resist it and recognize that identity is not static but rather dynamic. By articulating who we are — to ourselves, to those considering the profession and to the broader health care system — we strengthen our place in the genomic era.

For me, this professional journey has been intertwined with a personal one. Reflecting on Jewish identity has given me a deeper lens to understand professional identity. Both require introspection, resilience and community. Both are sources of pride and meaning. And both remind me that identity, however complex, is not just about what we do — it is about who we are.

In rediscovering my GC “tribe,” I have rediscovered myself.

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge Janette Z. Lawrence, MS, CGC and Lisa Kessler, MS, CGC for their support and review of the article.

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