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Genetic counselor shows patients the options...

 Genetic counselor shows patients the optionsHoward Neighbors

Jessica Scott, a 1998 graduate of Glenelg High School, is a genetic counselor at Mercy Medical Center. "I help patients think about things they may not have thought about, so they are empowered to make informed choices," she says.(Sun photo by Amy Davis / December 18, 2007)

By Janene Holzberg

December 21, 2007Just before Christmas two years ago, a patient at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore was waiting to hear whether she carried a gene mutation for breast and ovarian cancer.

"I was so certain everything would be fine that I went to my appointment alone," recalled Abigail Glassberg of Clarksville. Though there was no history of cancer being passed down through the generations of her family, she had opted for genetic counseling after her older sister had survived late-stage breast cancer.

"When I entered [counselor] Jessica Scott's office, she gently placed her hand on the small of my back and ushered me to a chair," she said. "I knew right then that I had it. Through my tears I could see that she was crying, too."

Glassberg, then 45, listened to Scott describe available choices and later underwent a double mastectomy and hysterectomy on the same day.

"What Jessica gives patients isn't just knowledge, but power," the commercial real estate broker explained. "She leaves it up to the individual how to use the knowledge she gives them. For me, as a mother of twin daughters in middle school, I did what I felt I had to do."

Scott, a Howard County native and a Lutherville resident, underscored what Glassberg had discovered, saying that the mantra of genetic counselors is "be nondirective."

"My job is to present options to patients with a family history of cancer or who are pregnant and want to investigate prenatal testing," said Scott, 27. "But it isn't my job to tell them what to do -- it's not my cancer or my pregnancy. I help patients think about things they may not have thought about, so they are empowered to make informed choices."

Scott's passion for her job in the relatively new field of genetic counseling was initially ignited as a freshman at Glenelg High School in 1994.

"I always thought genetics was a fascinating topic," said Scott, whose parents, H. Lee and Dorothy Schultz, live in Glenwood. "I took biology I and II and then the Advanced Placement class -- it was my favorite subject."

Her parents helped foster her love of science early, she said. Her mother is a chemistry teacher, and her father is an environmental scientist who harvests methane gas produced during coal mining for use as natural gas.

Several years after graduating from Glenelg in 1998, Scott took a course in advanced genetics as a senior majoring in biology at Radford University in Virginia.

"When we got to the unit on genetic counseling, I thought, 'That's it! That's what I want to do,'" she said. "I had already learned during summer internships that I could not spend 30 years staring into a lab microscope. Finding out about this career was a huge moment for me."

After receiving her undergraduate degree in 2002, Scott spent a year shadowing three genetic counselors in the Baltimore area. She used that experience as a springboard into the two-year master's program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, where she was one of five students plucked from a field of 80 applicants. She graduated in May 2005 and a month later became Mercy Medical Center's genetic counselor, making her one of 2,200 nationwide, she said.

Shannan Dixon, director of the UMB program, described Scott as "a very, very, bright and kind woman who is a great role model for students coming up through the pipeline."

"Our program is a highly competitive one that relies heavily on clinical rotations in the second year," Dixon added. "That's what limits us to five students; there aren't that many counselors out there to work with -- yet."

Dr. Robert Atlas, head of the hospital's Center for Advanced Fetal Care, where Scott spends half her time, said: "The field of genetic counseling is growing rapidly, just as the landscape of genetics is changing almost daily due to all the breakthroughs in gene identification."

Atlas, of Glenelg, said: "Jessica is an energetic, smart and very caring person -- just what we wanted in a genetic counselor. There is a huge push in society for individuals to check into their family histories, and physicians refer patients to her."

But there are instances when patients would rather not look into a genetic crystal ball, he said.

"One problem is the impact genetic testing results may have on insurance coverage or availability," Atlas said. "Medical insurance is great until you actually need it.

"Another dilemma is whether to find out if you have a defective gene for a disease that you can't do anything about. One gene for which patients often do not opt to be tested is that of Huntington's chorea, a degenerative disease which causes patients to lose control of thought and bodily functions. If a parent carries it, you have a 50-50 chance of inheriting it -- so there's a high incidence of suicide associated with that test. It's worse for most people to know that it's coming."

Learning to deliver stressful testing results is an empathy skill that all genetic counselors have, said Atlas, who also is chairman of Mercy's department of obstetrics and gynecology. "That's an area where Jessica just excels. She has a terrific personality and is full of compassion."

Dr. Kathy Helzlsouer, director of Mercy's Prevention and Research Center, where Scott spends the other half of her time, said, "One of Jessica's best skills is listening to the whole patient -- not just their words, but their actions and the way they may say something."

"Genomics in medicine is a burgeoning science," added Helzlsouer. "The need for knowledgeable and experienced genetic counselors will continue to grow."

Scott summed up her profession this way: "I get to spend my days talking about my favorite subject and helping people deal with complex information, which sometimes seems like it's swirling all around the room. Genetic counselor is the perfect job for me."


Is there someone in your neighborhood worth writing about? Is there an event that everyone in Howard County should be aware of? If there is, Janene Holzberg, our new neighbors reporter, wants to know about it. Janene brings a wealth of writing experience and knowledge of Howard County to her position. E-mail Janene at jholzberg76@msn.com,or by calling 410-313-8276.

Dr. Robert Atlas was misquoted when this article was published in the print edition. The Sun regrets the error.