Genetic Counselors

Yes, a genetic counselor or supervised genetic counselor license is required to practice genetic counseling in Maryland.

Licensure as a Genetic Counselor:

An applicant for licensure as a licensed genetic counselor shall complete an online application. In addition, the applicant must meet the following requirements:

1. 18 years old or older;
2. Good moral character;
3. Oral and written competency in English as required by the Board;
4. Pay the application fee;
5. Completion of a criminal history records check;
6. Graduation from an educational program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling or an equivalent accrediting body recognized by the American Board of Genetic Counseling; and
7. Certification by the American Board of Genetic Counseling, its predecessor, or its successor.

Licensure as a Supervised Genetic Counselor:

An applicant for licensure as a licensed genetic counselor shall complete an online application. In addition, the applicant must meet the following requirements:

1. 18 years old or older;
2. Good moral character;
3. Oral and written competency in English as required by the Board;
4. Pay the application fee;
5. Completion of a criminal history records check;
6. Graduation from an educational program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling or an equivalent accrediting body recognized by the American Board of Genetic Counseling; and
7. Applied for the first available national certifying examination and received active candidate status.

The Board may not issue a supervised genetic counselor license to an applicant if the applicant has failed the national certifying examination two or more times.

A supervised genetic counselor license expires one year after the date of issuance, upon notice of the second failure of the certification examination, or upon conversion to a genetic counselor license, whichever occurs first.

A supervised genetic counselor license may not be renewed or extended beyond one year.

A supervised genetic counselor can be supervised by a licensed genetic counselor who has practiced for at least three years after passing the national certifying examination or by a physician who has been licensed in Maryland for at least five years.

A supervised genetic counselor must enter into a written supervision contract with their qualified supervisor. This contract must specify the manner of supervision and identify any alternative qualified supervisors, as appropriate. The supervision contract must be maintained by the qualified supervisor and the supervised genetic counselor and made available to the Board upon request.

As of January 1, 2025, there is no longer an alternative to the certification requirement for licensure as a genetic counselor.

On average, the licensure process takes between 3 - 6 weeks. However, the process may take longer depending on the individual applicant's circumstances or if the applicant does not provide the required documentation on a timely basis.

If, while practicing genetic counseling, a licensed genetic counselor or supervised genetic counselor determines that a patient requires a diagnosis, treatment, or management, the genetic counselor is required to refer the patient to a licensed physician or another appropriate health care practitioner and document the referral in the patient's medical record.

Click to view the genetic counselor's scope of practice.