1996. The first Canadian program in genetic counselling is introduced at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, Canada (A Centesimal Celebration, n.d.). The role of a genetic counsellor is to advise patients who are at risk of an inherited disorder on the consequences and risks of that genetic disorder(s), the probability of transmitting the inherited disorder(s) to any potential children, and to help with family planning, including prenatal diagnosis (Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors, 2014).

The goals of genetic counselling are to provide informed choices for patients (Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors, 2014) - these choices often affect decisions regarding having children. Students in genetic counselling programs are provided with knowledge and skills that will help them diagnose and treat genetic diseases. UBC's current genetic counselling department offers a two year graduate program, leading to an MSc degree in Genetic Counselling (Genetic Counselling, n.d.). It is accredited by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC).

-Erna Kurbegovic and Colette Leung

• Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors. (2014). CAGC-ACCG website. Retrieved from http://cagc-accg.ca/content/view/12/26/.

• A centesimal celebration. (2014, May 15). The University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine. Retrieved from http://med.ubc.ca/a-centesimal-celebration/

• Genetic Counselling. (n.d.). The University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Genetics. Retrieved from http://medgen.med.ubc.ca/genetic-counselling/