Pedro Fernandes, MS

My name is Pedro Fernandes and I grew up in Dixon, CA. I graduated from UC Irvine in 2021 where I majored in Biological Sciences and minored in Psychological Science. In this time, I got to be a Resident Advisor in student housing, a Peer Coach for the school of Biological Sciences’ EASE program, and a board member for Campmed at UCI. During my gap year, I took part in the Columbia Pre-Genetic Counselor Experiential Practicum, conducted informational interviews with genetic counselors, and started working as a Behavior Technician, which all gave me knowledge and skills that will help me as a genetic counselor. I’m very passionate about pursuing LGBTQ+ advocacy work within genetic counseling and want to help make our field more accessible to underserved communities. In my free time, I love listening to music, drawing, and going to new places, so I’m very excited to explore Los Angeles!

Master's Research (Capstone) Project: Exploring Sense of Community Among Genetic Counseling Students

Department: Human Genetics