ANNUAL PUBLICATION FOR THE CERTIFIED GENETIC COUNSELOR™
S P R I N G 201 5
2015 Board of Directors
President’s Perspective Although a relative newcomer to the allied health professions, the field of genetic counseling has accomplished an incredible amount since its inception. The formation of ABGC in 1993 was one of the profession’s significant and prescient accomplishments. As you will see in our 2015 newsletter, the current ABGC Board of Directors strives to live up to the wisdom that our predecessors demonstrated when they established ABGC.
Left to right: Sheila O’Neal, Executive Director; Sharon Aufox; Karen Powell, CEC Board Liaison; Susan Hahn, Treasurer; Stephanie Kieffer; Beth Denne, President Elect; Anne Madeo, President. Not pictured: Patricia Lambrose, Public Member.
“To protect the public by setting certification standards and providing leadership to promote the value of Certified Genetic Counselors®.” Below are some of the activities we will be engaging in over the coming year to support this mission:
Genetic Counseling Certification Eligibility Task Force – Just as the landscape in which we practice is evolving, so are the possibilities for the education and training that may qualify somebody to sit for the board examination. The goal of this task force is to ensure that eligibility to sit for the certification examination is based on sound, defensible criteria.
� ABGC is now accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA)! This achievement promotes the profession’s ongoing development by demonstrating that the certification examination is fair, unbiased and meets an independently defined standard. At the same time, it raises the value of the CGC® designation as the gold standard of competent genetic counseling practice. � For details on updates to the Practice Examination, turn to page 2. � Did you know that it costs less to take the examination now than it ever has (see page 2)? � After careful review of the literature and deliberation, the Board has decided to initiate the next Practice Analysis in 2017. � To reduce the potential impact of a data breach, in 2015 ABGC will be implementing a system that no longer requires applicants or Diplomates to submit Social Security numbers.
At the same time we are pursuing these forward-looking initiatives, we are working to ensure that examination applicants and Diplomates continue to receive essential support from ABGC.
I encourage you to read our annual newsletter to see the ways in which the ABGC Board of Directors is working to ensure we continue to provide leadership to promote the value of Certified Genetic Counselors®.
� Practice Examination �����������������������������������������2
� Strategic Plan �����������������������������������������������������4
� From the Mailbag �����������������������������������������������4
� ABGC Examination Fees �����������������������������������2
� Professional Activity Credits (PACs):
� We Listened to You! ������������������������������������������ 6
For five months, the Board worked to develop a strategic plan (please see page 4 for more details). As part of the process, we have rewritten our mission. Previously, our mission was focused on ABGC’s role of protecting the public by establishing standards for genetic counseling practice. While that is still an integral part of ABGC’s activities, as we look to the future, we will also be focusing on developing and leading initiatives that promote the value of Certified Genetic Counselors® (CGCs®). Specifically, ABGC’s new mission is,
Genetic Counseling CEU Task Force – The goal of this task force is to be certain that stakeholders can rely on recertification through continuing education as clear evidence a genetic counselor has maintained their competence, even as the landscape of health care, genetics and genetic counseling practice evolves.
Anne Madeo, President
� Call for Nominations for the ABGC Board �����2
Changes and Clarifications �������������������������������4
PO Box 14216 Lenexa, KS 66285
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www.ABGC.net