First-Year MSGC Student Experience Highlights How Leadership Shapes the Future of Genetic Counseling

Abby Spencer, a first-year student in MUSC’s Master of Science in Genetic Counseling (MSGC) program, is making her mark as the Class of 2027 first-year representative for the Genetic Counseling Student Association (GCSA). Founded to enhance student engagement, raise awareness of the genetic counseling profession, and provide leadership opportunities within the program, GCSA offers students like Abby a chance to actively contribute to the field while developing valuable professional skills. Her experience highlights how early involvement in student leadership can shape both personal growth and the broader MSGC community.

What inspired you to take on a leadership role as a first-year representative for GCSA?

I was inspired to take on a leadership role after seeing all the incredible work of the current and previous GCSA members. The GCSA has helped foster a community among MSGC students, and I knew I wanted to continue this effort as the first-year representative. As the third graduating class of this program, we have a great opportunity to help integrate student feedback and make this program the best it can be for our class and future generations of MSGC students.

How has serving on the officer committee helped you grow as a leader within the MSGC program?
This position has helped me grow as a leader by giving me the opportunity to help implement the ideas and suggestions of my classmates. The Class of 2027 is incredibly passionate and engaged, and it has been a great experience to connect with my classmates and hear their ideas for building community and making this program even better. Serving in this role has also allowed me to collaborate with the Class of 2026 and learn from their experiences as first-year students. It has been a great opportunity to hear their perspectives and implement ideas from students who have recently been in our shoes.

What specific responsibilities or initiatives are part of your role as first-year representative?
The first-year representative is responsible for fostering community among students and facilitating open dialogue between first-year students and faculty. So far, these initiatives have included creating a Class of 2027 resource-sharing space, an anonymous feedback box for students to share suggestions for the first-year representative and the MSGC program, facilitating coffee chats with faculty, and setting up weekly meetings for first-year students to debrief and get to know each other. The first-year representative also attends monthly advisor meetings and is responsible for sharing updates and feedback from first-year students.

What has been your most rewarding experience in GCSA so far?
My most rewarding experience has been attending the “Genesgiving” event for first- and second-year genetic counseling students. This event was organized by the social chair of GCSA, Anika, and was offered both in person and virtually. It was a great opportunity to connect, socialize, and hear more about rotations from the second-year students. It was so rewarding to see how the GCSA helps build community and foster meaningful connections among students across cohorts.

Why would you recommend the MSGC program at MUSC to prospective students, especially those interested in leadership opportunities?
I would recommend the MSGC program at MUSC to prospective students because of the level of support and engagement from faculty. Everyone involved in the program is deeply invested in our success, both as students and as future genetic counselors. This program also offers great leadership opportunities through the GCSA, with five positions that allow students to actively shape their experience in the program. One of the things that stood out to me during my interview with the admissions committee was how genuinely open the faculty were to student feedback. Serving in a leadership role has only reinforced that impression and provided me with the chance to recognize and communicate the needs of myself and my classmates.

Learn more about MUSC’s MSGC program and student leadership opportunities: