You can submit your intention to register between July and September in each year by completing the relevant intention to register form at the online submission platform and uploading copies of your qualifications to the Branch Board. The EBMG will consider your intention to register application and assess your eligibility to apply. You will be sent a notification by email informing of your eligibility in October. Please check the Key Dates for registration
You must have been working as a genetic counsellor for at least two years full time (or equivalent part time) by the date you submit your intention to register. According to the route you are using the required clinical experience may vary (please see the table under section 4)
If you are applying via the national route, remember that at least one year of this experience (in clinical, teaching, patient advocacy or research activities) must have taken place in Europe.
Genetic counsellors in clinical practice should utilise both clinical and counselling supervision. Clinical supervision involves discussion and review of cases or working practices within the multi-disciplinary team of health professionals: this is essential for good practice. However, counselling supervision is also essential for safe practice. The role of the genetic counsellor specifically involves exploration of the emotional impact and psychosocial aspects of the genetic condition in the family. This requires the counsellor to work empathically and to be genuine and congruent with patients. Guidelines on clinical and counselling supervision can be found here
A medical practitioner who is employed as a doctor, even if he or she performs genetic counselling, will not be registered as a genetic counsellor. The EBMG has a Branch Board for Medical Geneticists as well as another Division for Clinical Laboratory Geneticists.
Please submit your initial application form at the online submission platform and upload copies of your qualifications to the Branch Board.
If you are eligible, you will then need to submit your full application by January the following year please see the key dates. For example, if you submit your intention to register by September 2023, you would submit your full application by January 2024. You should therefore allow time to complete the full portfolio before you send your intention to register. Previous applicants have stressed that the portfolio does take some time to complete and you need to allow sufficient time to do this.
Please note the registration assessment will not be possible until payment has been confirmed. As soon as the notification of fee payment is received, applicants should send their full-applications via email at gc.register.ebmg@gmail.com.
At the moment when you submit your intention to be register, you will be notified by the ESHG/EBMG office about how to pay the fee, either by debit/credit card or bank transfer. The fee for an application for registration includes assessment and initial five-year registration cost is 180 euros. A partial refund of 130 euros will be done if the applicant is not eligible.
The fee for an application for European registration by a person who is already registered under a recognised national system, including assessment and initial five-year registration cost, is 80 euros.
If you are absent from work for illness, maternity leave, paternal leave or any other statutory reason, your CPD hours can be redistributed across the full period of your submission.
Last updated: July 2023
