NHS STP 2020 Genomic Counselling

Hi, I came to this thread to see what kind of experience other people had who are applying for the STP Genomic Counselling 2020 entry but it seems that there haven't been that many replies yet.
I'd like to share the experience I have since I'm applying this year.
I have just started my final year studying BSc Genetics at University of Leeds and I'm expecting to get a 2:1.

I have volunteered on the intermediate care ward of a hospital keeping patients company etc. once to twice a week for a few months whilst at college. Since being at university, the first couple of years, I have had small part time jobs working in a supermarket and on a bar and other temporary jobs here and there, including one as a paid actor at a halloween scare attraction.

This summer, I did a full time 8 week placement at Martin House Childrens Hospice where I was mainly a personal care assistant for children and young people living with life-limiting inherited conditions. I was also an all round helping hand, whether it be making drinks and having a chat with parents, playing with siblings or keeping the unwell young people company.
Since starting my 3rd year, I have enrolled on an introduction to counselling skills course and also applied to be a volunteer 'Nightline' phone operator (which is a service that my University offer for struggling students who need a chat).

I have read that they require a minimum of 6 months full-time work in a caring role (of which I have 2 months) and I have been told by my friend that very rarely do people who have just this minimum amount get in.

I will be applying this year just in case but I am not expecting to get in first time with the experience I have and if unsuccessful, I will spend the following year gathering as much relevant experience as possible.

So that's my position, I'd love to hear the experience that some of the other applicants have for the 2020 entry.

p.s. I am only 20 and I believe that the majority of applicants are nurses/care staff/trained counsellors with years and years of relevant experience. Therefore I am being realistic about my chances but keeping my options open.

Hi, could you let us know how you get on with your application please? I would like to apply for the STP and it would be interesting to see how far one can go, fresh out of uni. Best of luck with it all

So thankful I found this thread. I am applying for the genomic counselling route this year however I am unsure of the 6 month full time care exp requirement as all my experience has been part time.

So, my education has consisted of an undergrad in Biology BSc with a focus on genetics, and MSc with a focus in cell biology and genomic bioinformatics, as well as a phd level summer programme in Next-generation sequencing (genomic bioinformatics). I have also completed Counselling Diploma level 2 and started counselling diploma level 4.

My clinical and care exp consists of 1 year voluntary (part-time) experience at an infectious diseases ward in an elderly hospital. 3 months (part-time) voluntary experience at a children's care hospital. A Health care assistant (HCA) post lasting 6 months (bank staff) and a 3 month shadowing placement at a genomic counselling clinic in a womans hospital. Furthermore, I also have 7 months experience working in a genetics lab, a placement at a hematology lab and a 3 month placement at NHS digital.

My question is, as none of my care experience is technically full time ( i dont know if bank staff are classed as full time or part time) will i automatically be discounted or is it obvious that everything equates to over six months full time? Anyone has similar experience that applied previously and was successful/ unsuccessful? Thanks in advance and thanks to whoever started the thread!

So thankful I found this thread. I am applying for the genomic counselling route this year however I am unsure of the 6 month full time care exp requirement as all my experience has been part time.

So, my education has consisted of an undergrad in Biology BSc with a focus on genetics, and MSc with a focus in cell biology and genomic bioinformatics, as well as a phd level summer programme in Next-generation sequencing (genomic bioinformatics). I have also completed Counselling Diploma level 2 and started counselling diploma level 4.

My clinical and care exp consists of 1 year voluntary (part-time) experience at an infectious diseases ward in an elderly hospital. 3 months (part-time) voluntary experience at a children's care hospital. A Health care assistant (HCA) post lasting 6 months (bank staff) and a 3 month shadowing placement at a genomic counselling clinic in a womans hospital. Furthermore, I also have 7 months experience working in a genetics lab, a placement at a hematology lab and a 3 month placement at NHS digital.

My question is, as none of my care experience is technically full time ( i dont know if bank staff are classed as full time or part time) will i automatically be discounted or is it obvious that everything equates to over six months full time? Anyone has similar experience that applied previously and was successful/ unsuccessful? Thanks in advance and thanks to whoever started the thread!

I can only talk from my own personal experience but I didn’t strictly have “6 months full time caring experience” - I had a combination of part hours in several caring roles like yourself. For the STP I found this wasn’t a problem but for my Cardiff MSc application it was - they specifically want employer references to prove a minimum of 800hrs worth (I think) of caring experience. Plus I would also say that although you do still have to have a certain amount of caring experience for the STP, I found that the important thing in your application is to demonstrate what you learnt from that experience and how it makes you a better candidate.

Hey! I'm pretty sure you don't need to have necessarily worked contracted full-time hours in a caring role, but just have worked an equivalent of 6 months full-time, however many hours that is (around 1000 hours I think?). Judging by what you have done, it seems you have reached that/close to it!

Yeah of course I will. What year are you in?

Wow, you all have so much experience, best of luck to all of you! I'm not very hopeful I will get very far for 2020 intake, but I'm going to give a go anyway! I have a first class in BSc Biology (Genetics) and have since been working full time, caring for individuals with learning disabilities for 5 months so far (so should have accumulated 6 months care exp. working with vulnerable adults by January/February!). Also intending on doing some of volunteering like befriending with a mental health charity. I have shadowed clinical geneticists for two full days, but couldn't get the opportunity to shadow Genetic Counsellors unfortunately!

I was thinking about applying for the masters (MSc Genomic Medicine) if I don't get into the STP - has anyone gone down this route/this masters and have any opinions on this? Individuals who have gotten into the STP, anyone know if this masters would be worth my time? I've not really considered the MSc in Genomic Counselling as I much prefer the STP route! Thanks

Hi everyone,
I was lucky enough to get into the STP Genomics Counselling course this year, if anyone has any specific questions, feel free to message me!
I think the best advice i can give you all for the application, is to print out the job description and make sure you hit all of the points on there. It took me a long time to condense everything i wanted to say, so it's great that you are starting now, i think that's when i started mine!
I believe Guys are running a GC taster day on 25.11.19 if anyone is interested, i think there is a fee though.
Good luck everyone!

Hi Lisa,

where can we print the job description? Is it available already?

Wow, you all have so much experience, best of luck to all of you! I'm not very hopeful I will get very far for 2020 intake, but I'm going to give a go anyway! I have a first class in BSc Biology (Genetics) and have since been working full time, caring for individuals with learning disabilities for 5 months so far (so should have accumulated 6 months care exp. working with vulnerable adults by January/February!). Also intending on doing some of volunteering like befriending with a mental health charity. I have shadowed clinical geneticists for two full days, but couldn't get the opportunity to shadow Genetic Counsellors unfortunately!

I was thinking about applying for the masters (MSc Genomic Medicine) if I don't get into the STP - has anyone gone down this route/this masters and have any opinions on this? Individuals who have gotten into the STP, anyone know if this masters would be worth my time? I've not really considered the MSc in Genomic Counselling as I much prefer the STP route! Thanks

Hello all!

I’m wondering if there is anyone else out there who is applying for the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP) for Genomic Counselling?

Who are you and where are you from? What sort of education/experience do you have?

I’m based in Yorkshire, and have a BSc (Hons) in Medical Sciences from 2010 (2:2 - containing one module on ‘Inherited Disorders’ which I scored 65); a PGDip in Psychotherapy and Counselling from 2016 (Pass with Merit); and an MSc in Psychology from 2017 (Pass with Distinction).

I qualified as a counsellor/psychotherapist in 2016, and did my placement hours at a college counselling service (two academic years). I volunteered as a counsellor/psychotherapist one day a week with a charity for 1.5 years, took time off to have my second child, then have been working as a paid counsellor in an abortion clinic 2 days a week since the end of last year, and opened a private practice seeing a maximum of 5 clients a week in April (I also chose to teach myself how to draw genograms to help identify patterns of relating in families, as well as mental health issues and other things such as alcoholism).

I spent 6 months working in a fertility clinic many years ago (and although I was in administration I was able to observe consultations, tests, and procedures as at the time I was applying for medicine), and have experience of genetics services as a patient due to being in a cancer family history clinic, and having to undergo prenatal genetic testing with my second (this is, strangely, what sparked an interest in genetics again - as I did enjoy it at Uni).

I’m thinking of attending the STP open day in Oxford if I can get it off work, is anyone else thinking of going?

Tell me all about yourselves - let’s support each other through the process!

V