Genetic Counseling alumna NinaMarie Omaggio ’16MSGC published “Have You Ever Googled a Patient or Been Friended by a Patient? Social Media Intersects the Practice of Genetic Counseling” in the Journal of Genetic Counseling on Jan. 15.

Conducted as part of her thesis, Omaggio’s study surveyed genetic counselors to determine how many were in contact with their patients on social media websites such as Facebook and LinkedIn, and whether this contact was acceptable for health care practitioners.

The results of Omaggio’s survey suggested a need for professional guidelines to serve as a resource for genetic counseling practitioners and programs.