The Base Pair Basics cover art

The Base Pair Basics

The Base Pair Basics

Written by: Isabelle Mundo
Listen for free

About this listen

Welcome to Base Pair Basics, where 2nd year genetic counseling students document their journey studying for the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) board exam.

If you’re involved or interested in the field of genetic counseling, fuel your (gene)ius, and come along with us! We’ll be chatting and providing resources to help you understand ABGC exam logistics and content, and give the unfiltered perspectives of overworked and underslept graduate students on what it’s like to balance life, school, research, job hunting, and studying.

Isabelle Mundo
Biological Sciences Science
Episodes
  • Crash Course: Teratogens
    Feb 7 2026

    This episode covers material under Domain 1 of the ABGC Board Exam (teratogens, exposure, and other non-genetic risk factors).

    Resources:

    MotherToBaby Summaries: https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/

    LactMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501922/

    Reprotox: https://reprotox.org/ (requires a membership)

    Teratology Communication: https://www.birthdefectsresearch.org/primer/Teratology-Communications.asp

    Other Sources:

    Genetic Alliance; District of Columbia Department of Health. Understanding Genetics: A District of Columbia Guide for Patients and Health Professionals. Washington (DC): Genetic Alliance; 2010 Feb 17. Appendix D, Teratogens/Prenatal Substance Abuse. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK132140/

    Mathiesen, A., & Roy, K. (2018). Foundations of perinatal genetic counseling : a guide for counselors. Oxford University Press.

    Pharmacogenetics of morphine poisoning in a breastfed neonate of a codeine-prescribed mother. Koren, Gideon et al. The Lancet, Volume 368, Issue 9536, 704

    Straface, G., Selmin, A., Zanardo, V., De Santis, M., Ercoli, A., & Scambia, G. (2012). Herpes simplex virus infection in pregnancy. Infectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology, 2012, 385697. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/385697

    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • The Basics: What is Genetic Counseling?
    Jan 20 2026

    This episode covers material under Domain 4 of the ABGC Board Exam (Counseling Skills, Communication, and Education).

    GC History - https://www.nsgc.org/About/About-NSGC/Timeline

    NSGC Code of Ethics - https://www.nsgc.org/Advocacy/Code-of-Ethics-Conflict-of-Interest/Code-of-Ethics

    Genetic Alliance; The New York-Mid-Atlantic Consortium for Genetic and Newborn Screening Services. Understanding Genetics: A New York, Mid-Atlantic Guide for Patients and Health Professionals. Washington (DC): Genetic Alliance; 2009 Jul 8. CHAPTER 5, GENETIC COUNSELING. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK115552/

    Uhlmann, W. R., Schuette, J. L., & Yashar, B. M. (Eds.). (2009). A guide to genetic counseling. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated.

    Galvin, K.M. (2015). Family Communication about Genetics. In The International Encyclopedia of Interpersonal Communication (eds C.R. Berger, M.E. Roloff, S.R. Wilson, J.P. Dillard, J. Caughlin and D. Solomon). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118540190.wbeic191

    Kessler S. (1997). Psychological Aspects of Genetic Counseling. IX. Teaching and Counseling. Journal of genetic counseling, 6(3), 287–295. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025676205440

    Ian D. Young. (2007). Introduction to Risk Calculation in Genetic Counseling (3rd ed). Oxford University Press.

    McCarthy Veach, P., LeRoy, B. S., & Callanan, N. P. (2018). Facilitating the genetic counseling process: Practice-based skills (2nd edition). Springer Nature

    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
  • ABGC Board Exam Logistics - Intro
    Jan 10 2026

    This episode covers introductory information about the ABGC Board Exam.

    Resources/References:

    ABGC Exam Resources and Information

    Knowt Flashcard Software

    Anki Flashcard Software

    Quizlet Flashcard Software

    Show More Show Less
    23 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_c
No reviews yet