Colleen Caleshu, MS, CGC, on Integrating AI Tools Into Clinical Practice for Genetic Counselors

This is the second part of an interview with Colleen Caleshu, MS, CGC. For the first part, click here.

“...It's also clear that a subset of patients are very eager for this to be part of their care and want it now, especially as the adoption of these tools in people's personal lives has just taken off. I mean, there's no technology that's been adopted this fast, at least according to some reports.”

As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has rapidly grown across the healthcare field in recent years, many genetic counselors are wondering whether and how they should integrate these tools into their own practice. Genetic counselors must consider a number of important factors, such as which tools to use and how to discuss the use of these tools with their patients. One important source of information is other genetic counselors who have already integrated these tools in their practice and thus have some real-world experience with them. Notably, several such genetic counselors spoke at a session entitled “Healthcare Administrative AI Tools in Practice: Implementation Insights from Early Adopters” at the 44th National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) Annual Conference, held November 6 to 10 in Seattle, Washington.

On the floor of the conference, CGTLive® spoke with Colleen Caleshu, MS, CGC, the senior director of research and real world data at Genome Medical, who chaired the session, to get her insight on considerations for genetic counselors seeking to integrate AI into their practice. Caleshu encouraged clinicians interested in adopting AI to start by learning from colleagues who have already implemented it, whether in genetic counseling or other areas, and to use institutional support teams that help with AI integration. She also recommended educational sessions on AI literacy and evaluating tool quality.

On patient communication, Caleshu emphasized transparency and consent. Patients want to know when AI is used in their care—for example, if an AI helps write clinical notes or messages—and should have the choice to opt in or out. Even when not legally required, obtaining consent builds trust and aligns with ethical practice. She noted that while some patients are cautious, others actively want AI integrated into their care, seeing it as a way to improve accuracy and outcomes.

Click here to view more coverage of the 2025 NSGC Annual Conference.