Careers in Medical Genetics: An Informational Session for Students and Trainees - 2020-A Day in the Life of a Clinical Geneticist -AKirby

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Amelia Kirby, an associate professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, discusses her role as a clinical geneticist. She explains that her job is divided into three main parts: outpatient clinic, inpatient consults, and administrative tasks. In the clinic, she sees a variety of patients with different ages and presentations, such as those with neurofibromatosis, dysmorphic features, and hearing loss. In the consults, she provides expertise in situations like birth defects, inborn errors of metabolism, and rare tumors. Her administrative time is spent on documentation, communication, and interpreting genetic test results. Kirby also highlights the variety, long-term relationships with families, and the joy of solving puzzles in her field. However, she acknowledges the challenges of detailed note-writing and dealing with devastating genetic disorders. Despite the negatives, she believes the positives outweigh them and finds the field exciting and constantly changing.

Keywords

Amelia Kirby

clinical geneticist

outpatient clinic

inpatient consults

administrative tasks