The breadth and depth of fieldwork training opportunities is a strength of the University of Minnesota Genetic Counseling Training Program. While fieldwork preparation is woven throughout the program, formal fieldwork training is focused in the second year with two tracks for training – 1) The Twin Cities Track, where students have the options to rotate in a wide range of sites throughout the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs; and 2) Mayo Clinic, where students train exclusively at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. In each track, students receive training in core areas such as prenatal, cancer, and general genetics, as well as in specialty sites (e.g., laboratory, specialty clinics).
Twin Cities Track: The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as surrounding suburbs and cities, have a wealth of medical centers where students receive training. In addition, we have partnered with several telehealth sites that provide genetic counseling throughout the United States.
Fieldwork Training Overview
Here are the participating medical centers where students in the Twin Cities rotate:
Laboratory
- GeneDx
- Minnesota Department of Health
- Prevention Genetics
- M Health Fairview Molecular Lab
- Color Health
- GeneMatters, LLC
- Southern Illinois School of Medicine
Cancer
- North Memorial Health Cancer Center
- Allina Health Cancer Institute
- CentraCare Health, St Cloud
- Minnesota Oncology
- Park Nicollet Cancer Clinic
- Regions Hospital
- M Health Fairview Cancer
- Westfields Hospital
Pediatrics
- Children's Minnesota
- Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare
- M Health Fairview Pediatrics
Prenatal
- M Health Fairview MFM Center
- Hennepin Healthcare
- North Memorial Perinatal Center
- Park Nicollet Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic
- Allina Minnesota Perinatal Physicians
Specialty Clinics
- M Health Fairview BMT Clinic
- M Health Fairview Metabolic Clinic
- M Health Fairview Heart Clinic Fulton
- M Health Fairview Neurology Clinic
Mayo Clinic
For students chosen for the Mayo rotation track
- CIM/Predictive
- Cancer
- General Genetics
- Prenatal
- Laboratory
Mayo Clinic Track: Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota has a reputation for distinguished medical care. Students are exposed to a range of genetic services provided at Mayo Clinic in an in-depth yearlong experience.
Mayo website for the 2nd year clinical internship (includes video)
Video: Mayo Clinic - Rochester Experience
Supervisor awards
- MaryAnn Fox (Allina Health) has been awarded the 2021 Outstanding Clinical Supervisor Award for the University of Minnesota by the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors.
- Marie Kennelly (Hennepin Health) has been awarded the 2020 Outstanding Clinical Supervisor Award for the University of Minnesota by the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors.
- Joan Steyermark (Mayo Clinic) has been awarded the 2019 Outstanding Clinical Supervisor Award for the University of Minnesota by the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors.
- Mary Ahrens (Fairview, retired) was awarded the 2018 Outstanding Clinical Supervisor Award for the University of Minnesota by the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors.