Last week, adjunct assistant professors and genetic counselors Elizabeth Fieg and Courtney Studwell took to the podium to teach Physician Assistant Studies students the “Foundations of Medicine in Genetics” for the second consecutive year.

“It was a great opportunity to meet and work with future colleagues in the field of medicine and healthcare,” said Fieg.

As the field of genetics continues to grow, cross-collaboration becomes more important as genetics will impact relevant clinical specialties. Empowering and educating PA students on genetics concepts and common referral reasons can help them better serve their patients and recognize when to refer patients to experts, such as genetic counselors.

“There are endless opportunities for collaboration and interdisciplinary education between genetic counselors and providers like physician assistants, nurses, and clinical pharmacists,” said Fieg. “Learning from each other makes us all better providers, both individually and as part of a team.”