How can I find a genetics professional in my area?

To find a genetics professional in your community, you may wish to ask your doctor for a referral. If you have health insurance, you can also contact your insurance company to find a medical geneticist or genetic counselor in your area who participates in your plan.

Several organizations have tips for finding a healthcare professional:

• The Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a service of the National Institutes of Health, provides a guide to finding specialists in particular genetic and rare conditions.

• The Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance provides advice on finding and choosing a clinic. Although this advice is written for adults with tuberous sclerosis, much of it applies to people with any chronic health condition.

Additional resources for locating a genetics professional in your community are available online:

• The National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) offers a searchable directory of genetic counselors in the United States and Canada. You can search by location, name, area of practice/specialization, and/or ZIP Code.

• The American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) provides a searchable directory of certified genetic counselors worldwide. You can search by practice area, name, organization, or location.

• The Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors (CAGC) has a searchable directory of genetic counselors in Canada. You can search by name, distance from an address, province, or services.

• The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) has a searchable database of medical genetics clinic services in the United States.

If you have a health condition that has not been diagnosed, you may be interested in the Undiagnosed Diseases Network. They have information about how to apply for this multicenter research study.