Journey to Genomics: Emily Lamb

Emily has a BSc in Medical Geneticsfrom the University of Leicester and an MSc in Genetic Counselling from Cardiff University. She has worked as a Genetic Counsellor since 2014 and became GCRB registered in 2016. She is currently based in Cardiff.

What inspired you to pursue a role in the field of genomics?

I was always interested in inheritance since school biology lessons. I think
the way that our knowledge and technology is constantly expanding makes
the field fascinating but also complicated. I realise how important support
and understanding is for people affected. It is these people and their
families that continue to inspire me.

What happens during a typical working day?

My role involves explaining inheritance and complex results to patients and
teaching health professionals and students. My work day involves drawing
family trees, collating information, completing patient letters and attending
multi-disciplinary team meetings. My favourite part of the job is discussing
the pros and cons of testing with patients to help them make informed
decisions.

What advice would you give to those interested in joining this field?

There is a growing need for Genetic/Genomic Counsellors but it is also very
competitive. I would advise anyone interested to make sure they know the
role really well through research, speaking with a genetic counsellor or even
seeing if they can visit one of the Genetics Centres.