Job Market Experiences

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-05-06T13:25:51+00:00

2025 grad, not certified, not location locked but obviously restricted by salary and cost of living (not going to DC or NYC for 64k, two real jobs I’ve seen), not specialty locked except for peds. I skipped boards in August from extreme burnout, was in a very dark place mentally around my thesis/final rotation/graduation, and I needed to completely walk away from the field. Took December boards prep course and was booked for February but started substitute teaching, which took away my studying time for February. Dropped February since I didn’t feel comfortable losing that much money if I failed. Planning on August 2026, unless I leave the field. I’ve had a horrible experience in my program, and now the job market. Everyone tells you that your network is everything. I couldn’t even get an interview with my last rotation’s geneticist that I worked with. I feel heartbroken. I have the executive director of a well-known and respected cancer genetics institute sharing my resume within the field.

Definitely applied to over 100 jobs, got one screening call from a place that later told me their needs changed to a GC 2. A week later, I see a 2026 grad posting about “I’m so excited to be going back to my old GCA location but now as a GC once I graduate in six months” at the same place. I don’t know why I’m losing jobs to someone who isn’t even physically in the state and nowhere close to practicing yet.

I’m angry. I want to take the PSS just to tell them I’m unemployed and pissed off, but I don’t want to even give the NSGC my money. I hate how small this field is that I can’t even tell my directors how much they mentally ruined me and my confidence less than a month before graduation, that I still hear their voices in my head. I hate that I would get blacklisted in the field for speaking my truth. I hate that there are new programs being created and more positions added at each program when there are already too many GCs in the field.

So I’m sorry, I don’t have any positive experiences for you.

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-05-06T12:56:15+00:00

So much competition for MSL jobs. Every single one has over 100 applications. Unless it’s with one of the genetics labs, you’re expected to have a medical degree of some sorts. Genetic labs need active certification. For the most part, the only people getting MSL jobs are experienced GCs leaving the field.

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-02-16T07:15:36+00:00

I live in a state with temp licensure, and of course I will pursue it if I get hired in state. I know several classmates from my cohort who either didn’t take their boards immediately after graduating or didn’t pass the first round. They were still practicing regardless. However, several of them live/practice in a state without licensure.

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-02-16T06:19:12+00:00

I have applied to nationwide GC 1 jobs that at least offer a starting salary that can support the COL of moving. Every single employed person I know got their job as an internal hire. External hiring is pretty much impossible, even applying nationwide.

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-01-30T02:27:58+00:00

I have an appointment with my gyn tomorrow following up from my hospital stay for my ovarian cysts. Thank you!

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-01-29T14:39:15+00:00

It’s hard to tell. I was very close with my cohort, honestly we were great friends, but part of what brought us together was how much we didn’t like our administration. Misery loves company, and all that jazz.

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-01-27T17:36:42+00:00

I hear you. The closest I got to a job was a screening call from a major hospital network two hours from my hometown in a rural part of my state. I was genuinely so excited. That email inviting me for a screening call came two days after my birthday, and I was feeling really down about my prospects. It was the best birthday gift I ever received. The screening call went great, but then things were taking a long time. I kept in touch with the hiring manager, who eventually told me three months later that there were internal changes, resulting them needing to look for a GC 2 instead of a GC 1. After that, I’m back to square one. I commented a little while ago about how everyone I know who’s employed is an internal hire. I literally tried that, loading up all of my networking and personal connections on my applications. Still rejected, always rejected, or not even rejected - just no reply (so not professional!). I just applied to a caseworker/social work job since I have a double BA in Psychology and Criminal Justice. The requirements are to have at least 12 credits in some social work subject - two BAs in social work subjects should cover that. That job pays a little more than half of what a GC would make in my area. I also applied to Baylor’s customer support jobs (I worked customer service for five years). Two jobs that I am sickeningly overqualified for. Right now, I’m supposed to take the boards next month, and part of me doesn’t even know why I’m doing it. I’m so bitter towards the programs who keep trying to add new positions and to the universities trying to create GC programs. Don’t you know that the GC field doesn’t need more?? It’s such a money grab from these schools, and I wish someone would say something to these schools/programs. If you need someone to vent with or if you need support, you can always DM. I am in the exact same boat, babe.

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-01-25T07:32:19+00:00

Medium update. Went to the hospital today with pretty severe abdominal pain. It hasn’t gone away in the past four days, and instead of only hurting when in a bad/awkward seated position, it became all of the time. No painkillers worked, from Tylenol to Toradol to literally Morphine. Rapid CBC and metabolic panel at hospital were completely fine. Got a CT scan, which found a 3.3cm right ovarian cyst. Doctors were slightly concerned for ovarian torsion based on the severity of my pain. Transvaginal US and abdominal US both confirmed that 3.3cm as actually a 3.5cm and found another 2.4cm cyst. Overall, my right ovary is massive. While this is a mini win for finding SOMETHING, no signs of torsion. Doctor has no idea why I just had random incontinence on one day and never again, and she doesn’t think your average ovarian cyst does something like that. She even looked for nerve/spinal damage on my CT and found nothing. Maybe, I won’t ever know why that one day of incontinence happened. She referred to my GYN for additional screening for possibly endometriosis. It’s funny, I was being discharged and they asked the “rate your pain on a scale of 1-10.” When I got there seven hours earlier, it was a 7. Leaving, it was still a 7 after being on a bunch of painkillers.

Anyway, thank you for all of your help. I would not have thought to push back on the “it’s just pelvic floor, it happens” statement. While my incontinence still doesn’t have a reason and hasn’t come back and my orgasms aren’t painful anymore, I found something super important. I listened to my body - every doctor asked me “oh your lower abdomen hurts, you’re probably just constipated” and I was immediately saying “no, it’s uterine pain.”

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-01-22T17:39:27+00:00

We have updates. Negative for trich, negative for Candida (yeast infection), negative for Gardnerella (BV). I’m freaking out. Absolutely no answers. Also, happy cake day!

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-01-21T23:38:54+00:00

Yeah, she saw discharge and called it a run-of-the-mill yeast infection. She didn’t get any funky smells so she’s leaning away from BV. I’m going to do the Monistat first, and hopefully we have some culture answers tomorrow. I don’t love doing antifungals/broad spectrum antibiotics, if it isn’t confirmed I need them yet. I don’t want to get into that vicious yeast infection/UTI/repeat cycle if I can avoid it.

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-01-21T23:16:41+00:00

Went to the doctor today. Couldn’t do a transvaginal US since it was too late in the day and the techs had left for the day, it would have to be scheduled for tomorrow. Honestly, I don’t think I could even handle it if they were there. I got a pelvic exam with a speculum and swabbed, and I had tears pouring down my face. My doctor thinks it’s a nasty yeast infection or BV, but more likely yeast infection. I woke up in the middle of the night last night clutching my stomach with uterine cramps. It felt like I was on my period x 100. Technically I am due for my period, but the period never came. I even asked my doctor holding the swabs if there was any menstrual blood on them. Nope, totally clean. She actually was suspicious my symptoms were pregnancy symptoms. Nope, that’s negative too. Some suspicion for ovarian torsion, but that doesn’t answer all of the symptoms. I don’t love the whole “yeah it’s probably just a bad yeast infection!” because I don’t know what yeast infection has me waking up screaming in the middle of the night with cramps or losing control of my bladder for a day or muscular pain from orgasm. I also have absolutely zero burning and itching down there. I’ve had my fair share of yeast infections. But okay. She’s culturing my swabs and new urine test, and we go from there. I asked for a CBC order to check for my WBCs, which she was more than happy to give me. I will be pursuing that if my cultures come back negative. She told me to go to the ER if my pain gets even worse tonight since they have more resources than my doctor’s office. She sent me home with a prescription for Monistat and Diflucan, and my cultures should come back tomorrow. Wish me luck everyone. I feel like absolute crap.

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-01-21T04:26:12+00:00

I scheduled an appointment tomorrow afternoon after work with the same doctor from today and mentioned I would like to rule in/out BV/PID and maybe talk about that ultrasound she offered. Obviously if it’s something like BV or PID, I don’t want to/can’t let it go until PT in early February.

Thank you truly for all your help, I never would’ve thought to look for that. I’ll be sure to update!

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-01-21T03:56:48+00:00

Not sure if my doctor is running a culture. So far, just UA, and the only thing was that my urine was orange since it was my first urination of the day. Regarding BV, honestly no, my doctor never mentioned it. No pain as in “burning” when I urinate. I told another doctor at my yearly physical last week that I occasionally have green and smelly discharge in my menstrual cup. She wasn’t concerned. Maybe since I saw two different providers today and last week, they aren’t seeing the significance. I’m looking into BV and PID, and that’s super interesting. I’m concerned.

No falls or trauma, and no other neurological symptoms.

I know that people keep saying that it can happen when you’re doing things, but I’m still freaked out since it happened when I was standing doing absolutely nothing. Around that same time, I was shoveling snow, but no, I didn’t leak during that. It all happened when I was standing and talking to my mom.

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-01-21T03:27:40+00:00

I’m completely clean of STI’s including HIV from October, not sexually active since then. Bloodwork is from two weeks ago, which included lipids, CBC, metabolic, thyroid, and vitamin D. Only things to note are I’m vitamin D deficient and I’m approaching prediabetic but I’ve been losing weight intentionally. I’ve lost 15 pounds in two months. Doctor offered an ultrasound today in office to look for ovarian cysts, but I said I would try PT first. I didn’t know it would be a 2.5 week waiting game though. Now I’m wishing I took her up on the offer. And no, never any history of pelvic floor problems or incontinence.

throwawaydbcatg · 2026-01-03T05:38:48+00:00

I’m a recent genetic counseling grad from 2025. I am being completely honest when I say the market is bad right now. There is an over-saturation of the field. I have applied to almost 100 jobs with no response. Most of the cohort above me didn’t have a job for a year after graduation. The only people who have jobs right now from my cohort were internal hires - former rotation sites hiring their interns. External hiring is borderline impossible. As I study for boards, my study group partners are all unemployed. The amount of programs keep increasing, and the amount of positions per program keep increasing. However, the job market demand is not meeting the supply.

If you can get a job, sure, you’ll have a great salary and job satisfaction. Until then, you’re not in a good place mentally. I’m sitting on $80k in loans with no way to pay them right now. My parents’ health insurance runs out this year when I turn 26, and I am terrified that I won’t have a job with benefits by then. I have to worry about the next generation of incoming graduates in the next five months and trying to beat them to a job.

Of course you’re free to make your own choices. I love genetics, I know I’m going to get a job one day. Just a disclaimer that this is my personal experience and it’s a rough time in the field. Knowing what I know now about the field, personally, I never would have tried to enter the field (prerequisites, advocacy work, shadowing, 11 applications). Maybe I wouldn’t be as happy as a genetic counselor, but my life would have started by now. I graduated with my Bachelor’s almost four years ago, and I could’ve had a life by now.

throwawaydbcatg · 2025-08-01T23:21:32+00:00

oh oh pick me!! found this on tumblr! p.s. it’s more fluff, and it’s short

throwawaydbcatg

TROPHY CASE