Thank you for your interest in the Genetics Counseling program at Loma Linda University School of Medicine. Applications open September 15, 2025.
Applicants to the MSGC Program are individuals with an undergraduate degree who can balance high academic achievement with excellent written and verbal communication skills, adequate advocacy experiences and insight into their choice of genetic counseling as a career.
Admission Requirements
Transcripts:
- Bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institutionally accredited college or university or equivalent
- Required: At least one quarter or semester of college-level coursework in genetics (designed for life science majors such as biology, molecular and cell biology) to be completed at an institutionally accredited college or university within USA or Canada or its equivalent
- Recommended: At least one quarter or semester of college-level biochemistry, psychology or sociology and statistics or biostatistics
- Unofficial transcripts should be submitted from all post-secondary colleges or universities attended, including from those at which the candidate took only one or a few courses to satisfy pre-requisites. Admitted students must submit official transcripts
- All prerequisite science courses must be taken within the last 10 years from the time of application
International students can access information regarding LLU requirements for International students
- Per LLU School of Medicine policy, applicants from schools in countries other than USA and Canada are required to present verification of academic credentials and a U.S equivalency report.
- Minimum overall GPA of 3.00
Curriculum Vita
Personal Statement and Values essay (1000 words): Describing personal motivating factors in genetic counseling as a career choice, a self-assessment of strengths and potential anticipated challenges and how they tie in with Loma Linda University's mission of whole person care.
Advocacy Experience: Compensated or volunteer advocacy experience(s) in a counseling or support role in health care, health behaviors or similar agencies. Applicants may have experiences in different settings, both in-person and remote, including crisis hotlines, Planned Parenthood, domestic abuse shelters, homeless shelters, hospice care facilities or facilities catering to individuals with physical or intellectual impairments, interviewing participants in a research setting etc.
Shadowing experiences and internships: Shadowing or interning with a genetic counselor is ideal, but not required.
Three Letters of Recommendation: Letters must be from individuals who can address the readiness of the applicant for graduate school and for the profession. One letter must be from a mentor in the applicant’s advocacy or counseling experience, which should be of substantial duration. All letters to be submitted electronically.
National Matching Services (NMS): All applicants must register with the Genetic Counseling Admissions Match through National Matching Services (NMS) and must provide a Match ID number to be considered for admission.
GRE: The GRE is not required for admission.
Interviews: Personal interviews with the LLU MSGC Program Admissions Committee will be scheduled between February and early April. Deadlines for the GC Admissions Match Process is usually available in the fall of the previous year.
Certification and Licensure
Graduates of the LLU MSGC Program will be eligible to take the board certification examination administered by the American Board of Genetic Counseling.
330 North Wabash Avenue
Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 313-321-6879
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.abgc.net
Requirements for genetic counseling licensure vary slightly from state to state in those that require a license to practice as a Certified Genetic Counselor (CGC®). More information available at the ABGC and the NSGC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why LLU? What makes us a great program to go to?
The curriculum of the MSGC program at Loma Linda University strikes a balance between science, counseling, research, and fieldwork rotations to provide students with a strong foundation on which to build their future genetic counseling careers.
- The strength of the program is in the wide-ranging and in-depth clinical fieldwork opportunities.
- The program works closely with Loma Linda University Health's clinical genetics services for both didactics as well as clinical supervision.
- The program offers courses from Loma Linda University's Schools of Allied Health Professions, Behavioral Health and Public Health with the added incentive of promoting interprofessional collaboration in healthcare education.
Is this MS in Genetic Counseling program accredited?
Yes, the program received accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC) on June 17, 2024.
What will the size of the program be? How many students will be accepted?
We are planning to have four students in the first cohort and seven students in the second cohort.
What are the fieldwork observation/rotation sites and experiences?
Students will start fieldwork observations in the first year and will start rotations in the summer after the first year.
- Students will have opportunities to observe and work in prenatal, pediatrics, adult cancer, adult specialties and clinical genetics laboratory.
- They will work with medical geneticists and in multidisciplinary teams with a variety of providers
Here is an example of a grid of rotations for the first cohort, as an example.
Summer | Fifth Quarter | Sixth Quarter | Seventh Quarter |
LLU MFM | LLU Peds Genetics | LLU Lab; LLUAdult Speclty | LLU Cancer (GI+RUHS) |
LLU Peds Genetics * | LLU Cancer (GI+RUHS) | LLU MFM | LLU Lab; LLUAdult Speclty |
LLU Cancer (GI+RUHS)** | LLU Lab; LLUAdult Speclty | LLU Peds Genetics | LLU MFM |
LLU Lab; LLUAdult Speclty*** | LLU MFM | LLU Cancer (GI+RUHS) | LLU Peds Genetics |
| * Peds General Genetics + Peds Specialty Teams (cardio, craniofacial, metabolic, neuro) |
| **Cancer Genetics clinics are in Adult GI and Riverside University Health System |
| *** Split rotations of ~5 weeks each. Adult Specialty clinics: International Heart Institute, Neuromuscular, Adult Metabolic |
Are there opportunities for external fieldwork rotations?
Students may be placed in external fieldwork rotation sites that we have affiliation agreements (AAs) with them. We are working on AAs with several sites, primarily in Southern California.
What are financial aid options at LLU?
Please check the University’s financial aid office.
Is there any funding for students to attend educational events?
The program has a budget of $2,500 for each enrolled student to attend the annual conference of the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) in the second year of the program.
What is the National Match Service?
The Genetic Counseling Matching Program (GC Admissions Match) provides an orderly process to help applicants obtain positions in masters-level genetic counseling programs of their choice, and to help programs obtain applicants of their choice. The GC Admissions Match was the first matching system used for graduate-level school admissions in North America.
Will classes be taught with religious faith behind the content at LLU?
Students at Loma Linda University are diverse in their religious beliefs and come from many faiths. The Clinical Ethics course offered by the School of Religion will incorporate aspects of faith as it pertains to ethics in biomedical and clinical research and provide a framework of discussion. The weekly chapel service every Wednesday is required. It is a chance for the campus community to come together to reflect and reconnect. The chapel service will not be required once fieldwork rotations start.