Reflections for Science Education Day
Key Takeaways
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When I was invited to contribute a chapter on direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing to The Oxford Handbook of Genetic Counseling, it gave me the opportunity to reflect on how the genetics landscape has evolved and the important role education plays in helping both healthcare professionals and the public navigate it.
Each year on March 14, Science Education Day highlights the importance of making scientific knowledge accessible and meaningful for society. In genetics, this goal has become increasingly important as more people gain direct access to their own genetic information.
Today, millions of individuals have explored their DNA through DTC genetic testing. As a result, healthcare professionals increasingly encounter patients who arrive with genetic results in hand, and questions about what those results mean for their health.
For genetic counselors, understanding this evolving landscape is essential.
The inclusion of DTC testing in The Oxford Handbook of Genetic Counseling reflects how consumer genomics has become an established part of the broader genetics and healthcare ecosystem.
Why DTC Genetic Testing Matters for Genetic Counselors
Direct-to-consumer genetic testing has expanded access to genetic information and changed how many people first encounter genetics. For some individuals, their first exposure to genetics may come not in a clinic, but through a consumer test ordered online from companies like 23andMe.
This shift creates new opportunities, and new responsibilities, for healthcare professionals.
Genetic counselors are uniquely positioned to help individuals understand what genetic results can and cannot tell us. They help place findings in the context of personal and family health history, clarify the limitations of testing, and guide next steps when clinical follow-up is needed.
As consumer genomics becomes more integrated into healthcare conversations, it is increasingly important that genetic counselors are prepared to navigate these discussions. Education about DTC genetic testing — including how results are generated, the types of health and non-health information consumers receive, how these tests differ from clinical testing, and what motivates individuals to pursue testing — is becoming an important component of genetic counseling training.
Genetic Counselors as Educators in Healthcare
Genetic counselors play another critical role beyond direct patient care: they are educators within the healthcare system.
As genetics becomes relevant across many areas of medicine, physicians and other healthcare professionals increasingly encounter genetic information in their practice. Yet many clinicians received limited formal training in genomics during their medical education.
In some cases, genetic information can provide additional context about an individual’s risk factors, helping clinicians and patients think more proactively about prevention, screening, and more personalized approaches to care.
Genetic counselors often help bridge this gap, educating clinicians on how to interpret genetic information, understand its limitations, and apply it appropriately in patient care.
Expanding Genetics Education for a Genomic Era
The growing intersection of consumer genomics, clinical care, and population-level genetic screening highlights a broader need: expanding genetics education for multiple audiences.
At the 23andMe Research Institute, we are working to support this goal through initiatives like the Genetics Learning Hub, which currently provides accessible learning resources for the general public and will expand to include resources for healthcare professionals. These structured educational modules are designed to help people better understand how genetics influences health and how genetic information can be used responsibly.
Efforts like these reflect a broader priority across the field: ensuring that both the public and healthcare professionals have the knowledge needed to interpret and apply genetic information in an increasingly genomics-informed healthcare landscape.
The Role of Education in Responsible Genomics
Science Education Day serves as a reminder that scientific discovery alone is not enough, people must also have the knowledge and tools to understand and apply that science.
In genomics, this means ensuring that healthcare professionals are prepared to interpret and communicate genetic information responsibly. As more people access their genetic information through consumer testing, expanding genetics education across the healthcare workforce — including genetic counselors — will remain essential to helping individuals understand and appropriately use genetic insights in their healthcare decisions.
