Future of Medical Genetics

[nanobot1]

I was curious to know what is the job outlook of a specialty in medical genetics?

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[angelicus]

I'm also curious about this and would be interested to hear from any physicians on these boards that have experience in this area. I work in bioinformatics right now and it looks like most of the big players in genetics are pathologists. However a few other specialists like oncology know a thing or two about genetics. I see that there is a Medical Genetics Residency program through the NIH, but this seems like overkill after completing a traditional residency.

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

Genetics typically isn't very popular bc it just doesn't pay that well. No procedures and Medicare/Medicaid isn't going to reimburse you a lot for spending an hour talking to parents about their kid's DiGeorge syndrome. A lot of the actual "counseling" part also gets filled in by genetic counselors. Don't really see the field taking off anytime soon either...the prenatal genetics stuff, which is where the money will be as parents pay heavily to have a bunch of prenatal testing, will get taken over by the MFM or REI Ob-Gyns (it already is pretty much).

 

[Jabbed]

Genetics typically isn't very popular bc it just doesn't pay that well. No procedures and Medicare/Medicaid isn't going to reimburse you a lot for spending an hour talking to parents about their kid's DiGeorge syndrome. A lot of the actual "counseling" part also gets filled in by genetic counselors. Don't really see the field taking off anytime soon either...the prenatal genetics stuff, which is where the money will be as parents pay heavily to have a bunch of prenatal testing, will get taken over by the MFM or REI Ob-Gyns (it already is pretty much).

Tons of money is getting funneled into the translational genetics research, particularly for CV disease and cancer.

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

Tons of money is getting funneled into the translational genetics research, particularly for CV disease and cancer.

And? If you're running a lab that's great (and many geneticists do since they're in academic medical centers). That doesn't translate into increased pay on the clinical side of things.

 

[Jabbed]

And? If you're running a lab that's great (and many geneticists do since they're in academic medical centers). That doesn't translate into increased pay on the clinical side of things.

I was alluding more to employment opportunities; a medical geneticist at my school was telling me that it's historically been difficult to find employment as a clinical geneticist, but that the situation has been turning around in the past few years and the job market is projected to continue expanding. I don't know enough about salary information, but I agree that it's probably unlikely for them to become big earners in the near future.

 

[medgendoc]

Genetics is an exciting field that is growing rapidly. It is becoming a bigger and bigger part of other specialities as we learn more about the underlying genetics of disease. The future is bright!!

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Genetics, neurology and psychiatry are at the cusp of exploding. One big finding and these fields will pay off handsomely.

 

[settingshadow]

I am a clinical geneticist (I think the only one who frequents SDN). I just finished combine peds/clinical genetics residency, so have been looking at the job market, although I'm taking this year to do a biochem fellowship. The need is vast and the supply is small. I could pretty much work anywhere I wanted. Many of the people I've trained with have gotten positions by cold-calling their hospital of choice and asking for a job. So don't worry at all about job opportunities (salary on the other hand, is on par with other cognitive pediatric subspecialities.)

 

[Lord_Vader]

I am a clinical geneticist (I think the only one who frequents SDN). I just finished combine peds/clinical genetics residency, so have been looking at the job market, although I'm taking this year to do a biochem fellowship. The need is vast and the supply is small. I could pretty much work anywhere I wanted. Many of the people I've trained with have gotten positions by cold-calling their hospital of choice and asking for a job. So don't worry at all about job opportunities (salary on the other hand, is on par with other cognitive pediatric subspecialities.)

If you don't mind me asking, could you describe the typical day for a clinical geneticst? I am currently interested in doing med/peds and then a medical genetics residency. Is there opportunity to spend some time in research, some time in academics, and some time in the clinic or do medical geneticists typically only concentrate on one area?

 

[Lawgiver]

I am a clinical geneticist (I think the only one who frequents SDN). I just finished combine peds/clinical genetics residency, so have been looking at the job market, although I'm taking this year to do a biochem fellowship. The need is vast and the supply is small. I could pretty much work anywhere I wanted. Many of the people I've trained with have gotten positions by cold-calling their hospital of choice and asking for a job. So don't worry at all about job opportunities (salary on the other hand, is on par with other cognitive pediatric subspecialities.)

where are u finding these jobs?

 

[notbobtrustme]

Genetics, neurology and psychiatry are at the cusp of exploding. One big finding and these fields will pay off handsomely.

they've been on the cusp for 50 years.

Unless it translates to procedures (or there's a drastic change in the reimbursement structure), breakthroughs won't translate into increased pay. Sure, you have a bunch of new pharmaceuticals to prescribe. You still get reimbursed the same as beforehand.

For example, in neurology, the new upcoming thing is the thromboembolectomy for promixal clots. The problem is that neurologists are rarely the ones doing this procedure. Neuro-IR and neurosurgeons are the ones performing the procedure. So even though neurology got this new great breakthrough and it's a procedure, they still aren't the ones benefiting from it.