Fall 2009 Genetic Counsellor in the Spotlight: Myra Micek, MS   Senior Genetic Counsellor Medical Genetics Victoria General Hospital

As I look back on 31 years as a genetic counsellor, I have much to reflect on.  My interest in genetics began while I was an undergraduate at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.  I took an extra year as an undergraduate to obtain an Honors B.Sc. in Genetics.  During that time, for two summers I worked in a Cytogenetics lab, before the days of banded chromosomes!  The director of the lab was Dr. Peter Bowen, who became my first mentor.  He encouraged me to apply to Ph D. programs in the States, which at the time seemed to be the logical next step in pursuing my interest in genetics.  I was accepted into a Ph D. program in Chapel Hill, at the University of North Carolina.  I was working in immunogenetics and after a year realized I was not happy with the direction I had taken.

Nine years passed when my work had nothing to do with genetics, and I was living in the San Francisco area.  This was a time in my life when I was looking for something to focus on for my future.  I had been diagnosed with cancer, gone through chemotherapy and surgery, and lost my ability to have children. I learned that the University of California, Berkeley had a new program offering a master’s degree in genetic counselling. I applied to the Berkeley program, and was accepted in 1976...  After only a few weeks in the program I felt that it had been created just for me – it was a perfect fit! I was fortunate that during my two years of training, my clinical experience was mostly at the University of California Medical Center in San Francisco, where the well-known dysmorphologist Bryan Hall was working.  He helped kindle my interest in clinical genetics, and had an enthusiasm for dysmorphology that was infectious.  I learned what it was like to be involved with people who loved their work.

When I graduated in 1978, there were not many jobs available for genetic counsellors, but I was lucky to be offered a full time job at Valley Children’s Hospital in Fresno, California working with Dr. Cynthia Curry.  This was a new genetics clinic and I was their first full time genetic counsellor. I saw a wide variety of referrals, and in the first few years had the luxury of doing some home visits to obtain the family history and assess the parents’ concerns.  It was a unique opportunity to know families on a different level.   Cyndy was an amazing mentor.  Her excitement and passion for medical genetics was inspiring.  She taught me so much, gave me a lot of autonomy, valued my training and insight.  She encouraged me to give presentations and to contribute to publications. In 1981 I wrote the first American Board of Medical Genetics exams , and became board certified.  When California began it’s AFP maternal serum screening program in 1986, I was one of the “AFP Coordinators” in our area.  I enjoyed the opportunity to be involved in the planning and implementation of a new program.  I worked at Valley Children’s for 16 years, and our clinic had grown to a staff of five genetic counsellors by then.

In 1994 I moved to Victoria, where I was the first genetic counsellor at Victoria General Hospital.  I remained as the only counsellor for eight years.  I had the good fortune to work with Dr. Patrick MacLeod, another clinical geneticist who let me fly and encouraged me to expand my horizons. He had a wealth of experience, and a passion for teaching and mentoring, and I continue to learn from him.  My starting work at the clinic in Victoria coincided with the discovery of BRCA1, and then BRCA2.  This gave me the opportunity to learn about and become proficient in an area of genetic counselling which was new to me. Although cancer counselling has since become a major component of my work load, I still enjoy doing a variety of counselling. 

My experience as a genetic counsellor has been somewhat different because I have worked in smaller clinics, in less populated areas than most of my colleagues.  I think this has given me the opportunity to establish closer relationships with the community, referring physicians and midwives.  In both Fresno and Victoria I participated in outreach clinics.  These clinics helped to introduce us to local clinicians and provided a chance to advertise our services. Now we are reaching many of these clients through Telehealth appointments.

Especially rewarding for me has been the chance to be a mentor for students interested in genetic counselling, in Fresno and Victoria.  Some of them have been undergraduates beginning to explore a career, others have been students working on their Master’s degree , doing clinical rotations with us.  I’ve been fortunate to end up working with some of them after they graduated.  I am grateful to these former students for so eagerly absorbing all I had to offer.  They inspired me and I learned from them as well.  I see a bright future for our profession based on my involvement with them. 

Genetic counselling has given me many wonderful co-workers and some of my best friends.  It has taught me that we (humankind) have common values that transcend race, religion, ethnic background and socio-economic status.  While we are trained to be sensitive to the differences between our patients, the common thread that unites us and brings them into our care, is concern about the health and well being of their children and close family members. I have long felt that it is a privilege to share both the pain and the joy of the circumstances that bring patients to us, to be trusted with some of their deeply personal journeys. My patients have shown me the resilience of the human spirit, and courage in the face of shattered dreams.  It is the opportunity to continue seeing many wonderful individuals and families that has kept me so engaged and happy with my work.

My thoughts on my career as a genetic counsellor always come back to how blessed I have been to have found work that continues to be challenging and rewarding.  How many people can say they still love their job after 31 years!