ABGC Certification Examination (CGC) study plan
CGC · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Genetic Counseling Practice (official content outline not enumerated in source)
Map the Genetic Counseling Practice domain into 6-8 subtopics and rank them by personal weakness
Draft a one-page summary of the genetic counseling process from intake through follow-up
Define key practice-model terms (direct vs. indirect patient care, counseling frameworks) in your own words
Build a weekly tracking sheet logging study hours and self-quiz scores
Your checkpoint
A ranked subtopic map plus a one-page process summary with a baseline self-quiz score recorded
Genetic Counseling Practice (official content outline not enumerated in source)
Explain the components of a genetic counseling session and justify sequencing decisions
Compare counseling approaches and predict which fits a given patient scenario
Practice writing session notes that capture risk communication and patient decisions
Self-quiz on practice-domain subtopics and log missed concepts
Your checkpoint
Three written practice session notes scored against a self-made rubric of at least 6 criteria
Genetic Counseling Practice (official content outline not enumerated in source)
Analyze ethical, legal, and psychosocial considerations in counseling scenarios
Apply informed-consent and confidentiality principles to written case vignettes
Identify referral and follow-up decision points across the care continuum
Review missed items from week 2 and re-test those subtopics
Your checkpoint
A written analysis of 5 ethics/psychosocial vignettes with a documented decision rationale for each
Genetic Counseling Practice (official content outline not enumerated in source) & Genetic Counseling Knowledge and Skills (official content outline not enumerated in source)
Consolidate practice-domain knowledge into a single review outline
Complete a timed mixed set of practice-domain questions and categorize every error
Begin building a genetics knowledge glossary covering inheritance patterns and testing methods
Identify the 10 highest-yield knowledge gaps to carry into domain 2
Your checkpoint
A categorized error log from a timed practice set plus a prioritized gap list of 10 items
Genetic Counseling Knowledge and Skills (official content outline not enumerated in source)
Diagram inheritance patterns and predict recurrence risks for representative pedigrees
Summarize indications, limitations, and interpretation of major genetic testing modalities
Explain risk assessment calculations step by step without notes
Self-quiz on genetics knowledge subtopics and log accuracy by subtopic
Your checkpoint
A one-page risk-assessment cheat sheet plus 10 solved pedigree/recurrence problems with work shown
Genetic Counseling Knowledge and Skills (official content outline not enumerated in source)
Describe clinical features and inheritance of high-frequency genetic conditions
Connect test results to counseling implications in written scenarios
Practice interpreting variant classification categories and their counseling impact
Re-test the weakest knowledge subtopics from week 5
Your checkpoint
A condition summary table of at least 12 conditions with inheritance, testing, and counseling implications
Genetic Counseling Practice (official content outline not enumerated in source) & Genetic Counseling Knowledge and Skills (official content outline not enumerated in source)
Integrate practice and knowledge domains by working full-length mixed practice sets
Diagnose recurring error patterns and rank them by frequency
Re-drill the top error patterns until accuracy improves
Write concise explanations for every missed question
Your checkpoint
Two timed mixed practice sets completed with an error-pattern report and improved retest scores
Genetic Counseling Practice (official content outline not enumerated in source) & Genetic Counseling Knowledge and Skills (official content outline not enumerated in source)
Review all condensed notes and error logs across both domains
Take a final timed full-length practice assessment under exam conditions
Target final weak spots with focused re-drills
Finalize a test-day strategy including pacing and question-flagging rules
Your checkpoint
Final practice assessment score with a written test-day strategy sheet and a completed weak-spot re-drill log
Milestones
Week 4: Practice-domain subtopic map complete, error log categorized, and timed practice-domain accuracy at or above your baseline target
Week 6: Genetics knowledge cheat sheet and condition table finished; risk-assessment problems solved at 80% or higher self-graded accuracy
Week 8: Final timed full-length practice assessment completed with documented score, error-pattern report, and test-day strategy sheet