FORTY FORT, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) -- In a time when many wonder about career opportunities of the future, there is one that's showing signs of significant growth. It has to do with helping patients understand and address personal health risk factors.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports nearly 40,000 jobs were created last month in the health sector. Of that sector, one particular field is showing tremendous employment opportunity more than any other job.

What you're witnessing is the future of medicine: unlocking genetic code secrets to personalize treatment and even prevention of certain illnesses and conditions. Both in and out of these DNA labs are genetic counselors who gather and analyze family history and inheritance patterns to help identify individuals and families who may be at risk. "It's so such on the cutting edge of science and technology that it's continuously changing and there are always new things to really keep on top of and excite me," said Geisinger Genomic Medicine Institute Genetic Counselor Marci Schwartz.

Ms. Schwartz works in both cardiovascular and cancer genetics. By the end of 2024, the demand for genetic counselors like her is expected to grow by nearly 30 percent which is greater than any other job sector in the nation. So what's driving that demand? "We are now getting to the point where genetic information is really becoming relevant to clinical care," said Geisinger Genomic Medicine Institute Director Marc Williams, MD.

That care also includes targeted medicine in neurology, pediatrics, and prenatal genetics. Home to the 11 years and counting genome project "MyCode", Geisinger anticipates needing hundreds of genetic counselors in the next few years. "We have a huge opportunity but also this deficit in terms of training personnel," said Dr. Williams. Part of the genetic field job explosion is a recently created position by Geisinger called a genetic counseling assistant.

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Scranton will soon offer a masters program in genomics but exploring career possibilities in this field can begin much sooner. "Some of the shadowing and volunteer experience can certainly be started in high school," said Ms. Schwartz.

You don't need to be a doctor to become a genetic counselor but you do need a masters degree. The starting salary for this growing profession is roughly $65,000 a year. You can learn more about career opportunities in genetic counseling by clicking here.

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