Genetic Counselors
Official O*NET title: Genetic Counselors (29-9092.00)
Also called: cardiovascular genetics counselor, certified genetic counselor, clinical genetic counselor, genetic services coordinator, hereditary cancer program coordinator
Do you do this at work?
Answer each card — it takes about a minute.
Do you do this at work?
Interpret laboratory results and communicate findings to patients or physicians
Swipe right for yes, left for not me. On a keyboard: → yes, ← not me, Z undo. +2 XP per answer.
How AI is changing genetic counselors work
8 of 18 measurable main tasks for this job show up in real AI-use data, so we rate it Amber (some AI use) — 44%.
This shows where people already use AI, not whether the job will disappear. How we measure this.
Tasks in this job and recorded AI use
- Interpret laboratory results and communicate findings to patients or physicians (main task) — a lot of recorded AI use
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in genetics (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Explain diagnostic procedures such as chorionic villus sampling, ultrasound, fetal blood sampling, and amniocentesis (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Evaluate or make recommendations for standards of care or clinical operations, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations, ethics, legislation, or policies (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Provide patients with information about the inheritance of conditions such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and various forms of cancer (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Analyze genetic information to identify patients or families at risk for specific disorders or syndromes (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Prepare or provide genetics-related educational materials to patients or medical staff (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Refer patients to specialists or community resources (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Provide counseling to patient and family members by providing information, education, or reassurance (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Provide genetic counseling in specified areas of clinical genetics (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Discuss testing options and the associated risks, benefits and limitations with patients and families to assist them in making informed decisions (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Interview patients or review medical records to obtain comprehensive patient or family medical histories, and document findings (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Write detailed consultation reports to provide information on complex genetic concepts to patients or referring physicians (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Assess patients' psychological or emotional needs (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Determine or coordinate treatment plans by requesting laboratory services, reviewing genetics or counseling literature, and considering histories or diagnostic data (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Engage in research activities related to the field of medical genetics or genetic counseling (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Design and conduct genetics training programs for physicians, graduate students, other health professions or the general community (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Collect for, or share with, research projects patient data on specific genetic disorders or syndromes (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Identify funding sources and write grant proposals for eligible programs or services — some recorded AI use
Tasks: O*NET 31.0. AI use: Anthropic Economic Index (exact or close text match).
Your first steps (guidance)
- Week 1: Open a free AI assistant and say hello. Follow our “Getting started with AI” guide. Ask it one simple question about your work.
- Week 2: Use AI on one task you do often. Try the prompt for: “Interpret laboratory results and communicate findings to patients or physicians”. Try the prompt for: “Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in genetics”.
Tick your own tasks above to get a plan based on what you really do. The first 2 weeks are free; Premium (coming soon) adds weeks 3–12. New to AI? Read our beginner’s guide.
Questions about AI and genetic counselors
Will AI replace genetic counselors?
Our data can’t predict job losses, and we don’t try to. What it does show: 8 of the 18 main tasks for this job match tasks people already use AI for (Anthropic Economic Index), giving a Amber rating (some AI use). Using AI on a task is not the same as AI doing the whole job, and 10 of the 19 listed tasks show no recorded AI use yet.
Which genetic counselor tasks is AI used for most?
In the data, the most AI use among this job’s tasks is for: interpret laboratory results and communicate findings to patients or physicians; read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in genetics; explain diagnostic procedures such as chorionic villus sampling, ultrasound, fetal blood sampling, and amniocentesis.
Which genetic counselor tasks show little or no AI use?
For example: provide counseling to patient and family members by providing information, education, or reassurance; provide genetic counseling in specified areas of clinical genetics; discuss testing options and the associated risks, benefits and limitations with patients and families to assist them in making informed decisions. These are good places to keep building your own skills.
How does this job compare to others?
In Microsoft Research’s “Working with AI” study, this job’s AI applicability score is equal to or higher than 90% of the occupations they scored. That measures overlap with AI chat use, not risk of job loss.
How can a genetic counselor start learning AI?
Start small: open a free AI assistant, try it on one task you do often, and always check facts and numbers yourself. The plan on this page is guidance, not professional advice.
See how this job ranks
Genetic Counselors ranks #156 of 572 jobs for the share of main tasks with AI use (#1 = most), and #13 of 80 in Healthcare.
Related jobs
- Will AI change healthcare managers?
- Will AI change chiropractors?
- Will AI change dentists?
- Will AI change oral surgeons?
- Will AI change orthodontists?
- Will AI change prosthodontists?
- Will AI change psychiatrists?
- Will AI change family medicine physicians?
- Will AI change pediatricians?
- Will AI change neurologists?
- See all jobs