The fourth pillar of our 2022-2021 NSGC Strategic Plan seeks to create opportunities for professional growth for members and build their capacity to lead both within NSGC and in their professional environments. Working together, with the reach and knowledge present in our organization, combined with the expertise of NSGC members, we can provide education, guidelines, and research support to the genetic counseling and broader healthcare community, and in turn, create greater access to quality genetic services for all patients. 

Plans are underway for NSGC’s 41st Annual Conference, scheduled for November 16-20, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee.  Registration is OPEN. This year’s conference will be NSGC’s first hybrid conference, offering virtual access for those individuals who prefer to attend virtually. We’re eager to get back to in-person learning, conversations and networking, and meeting with important industry partners in the exhibit hall.. We look forward to a great turnout for the conference with the theme of Building. 

The Practice Guidelines Committee and many volunteer authors develop resources to guide genetic counselors to work at the top of their scope using evidence-based practices. Several new practice resources will be published in the months ahead including a much anticipated Pedigree Nomenclature practice resource and Epilepsy and Telegenetics clinical practice guidelines. 
NSGC is also working to foster avenues for synthesis of genetic counseling research to increase the evidence base for genetic counselor services and to build more rigorous practice resources and metrics.. The Research, Quality, Outcomes Committee is drafting a proposal for a novel research infrastructure that would function in a more efficient, nimble and equitable fashion to develop requests for proposals and funding of strategic research initiatives within NSGC. 

Professional excellence also includes building an inclusive, supportive network and resources to support genetic counselors in attaining career advancement, professional recognition and career fulfillment. Currently, the Membership Committee is taking lessons from other leadership development programs within NSGC and considering how to foster leadership development and career opportunities within the broader NSGC environment. 

Finally, the Public POlicy Committee is working to advance the professional excellence goal of developing policy statements that advance the standing of the genetic counseling profession, support integration of genetics throughout healthcare and promote competent, equitable care.  The committee is updating some of our existing statements and drafting new statements to ensure these statements are reflective of our current stance within today’s genetics, genomics, healthcare and political landscapes. If you see a call for member comment come through via email, please take the time to share your voice, knowledge and experience so these statements reflect the broad sentiment of our NSGC membership.  

NSGC and our members are committed to professional excellence in practice, first and foremost to provide the best possible access and support for our patients, and to support our other healthcare colleagues, and each other.  We look forward to continuing to work with you to advance our profession and we thank you for your contributions to what we have achieved as a profession so far. NSGC pledges to support you as we provide you with ongoing opportunities to leverage NSGC’s collective expertise and get involved in moving our profession even further forward into the future 
 

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