Taking Advantage of a Unique Opportunity: A Genetic Counseling Fellowship in Lysosomal Storage Disorders
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PROFESSIONAL ISSUES
Taking Advantage of a Unique Opportunity: A Genetic Counseling Fellowship in Lysosomal Storage Disorders Lindsay Paull & Shawn Lipinski
Received: 19 October 2011 / Accepted: 16 November 2011 / Published online: 7 December 2011 # National Society of Genetic Counselors, Inc. 2011
Keywords Defining moment . Professional development . Mentor . Genetic counseling specialty . Internships
My life like many others has had moments of stability and moments of fluidity. It has been influenced by experience and challenged by the unexpected. Although I believe that each moment defines us in some way, I realize that a few select experiences or defining moments are remembered as making a significant difference. A defining moment can be an enlightening day at work or a stranger that has challenged you to see the world differently. It can be a year of professional accomplishment or a month of failure to reach your personal goals. It can define your strengths, your vulnerabilities or a side of you that you never knew existed. And although there are many defining moments that have molded me into who I am today, I am confident that one specific moment has helped to define what is important to me professionally. That moment was an 8 month fellowship opportunity at the University of Virginia. For 8 months last year I trained in the first post-graduate genetic counseling fellowship in Lysosomal Storage Disor-
L. Paull (*) Division of Genetics and Metabolism, Children’s National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Ave NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA e-mail: [email protected] S. Lipinski Division of Pediatric Genetics, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 800386, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
ders (LSDs). The Lysosomal Storage Disorder fellowship was in the Division of Medical Genetics in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Virginia. It was organized and run by genetic counselor, Shawn Lipinski, with the grateful assistance of UVA’s geneticist, Dr. William Wilson. Applicant candidates were required to have graduated from a Master’s degree program accredited by the American Board of Genetic Counseling and be board certified or board eligible. The program gave the fellow a chance to participate in an experienced LSD Program that included comprehensive education in the evaluation and management of LSDs. My roles as a fellow included: & & & & & &
Developing proficiency in the clinical care of patients with LSDs and gaining the skills necessary to initiate and manage a treatment program, Providing education and outreach to allied health care professionals and patients Participating in natural history protocols and initiating clinical research protocols through the Institutional Review Board process, Traveling to satellite clinics, Organizing a patient education meeting, and Writing and submitting academic papers in the field of LSDs.
The timing of this fellowship could not have been more perfect. Pulled in a number of different directions in the previous years, I felt spread thin, yearning for a focus, and
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