Health Professions Advisor

Health Professions Advisor

Pre-Professional Health Advising (PPHA) at James Madison University is accepting applications for a Health Professions Advisor; a full-time, twelve-month administrative and professional faculty position. Our office provides aspiring health professionals with the information and guidance necessary to engage in career exploration, excel academically, demonstrate growth in core competencies, and apply to masters and doctoral health professions programs. We foster informed decision-making, initiative, growth in core competencies, and reflecting on experiences. PPHA supports students with interests in nine PPH minors (pre-athletic training, pre-dentistry, pre-medicine, pre-occupational therapy, pre-optometry, pre-pharmacy, pre-physician assistant, pre-physical therapy, pre-veterinary medicine) and who are concurrently completing degree/major programs in all colleges.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Health Professions Advising

• Serve as knowledgeable and skilled health professions advisor. Advise students on strategies for exploring academic and career interests, incorporating PPH coursework into academic planning, and preparing with the goal of becoming a competitive applicant.
• Assist with writing and editing informational materials in electronic and print formats.
• Plan and implement advising programming, activities, and workshops.
• Respond to inquiries from students, faculty, advisors, and other stakeholders regarding program policies, procedures, and requirements, making referrals as appropriate.
• Support students and recent graduates during the application process including application materials, timelines, admissions tests, essays, letters, school selection, and interviews.
• Maintain active membership in the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP).

PPH Program Coordination
Coordinate advising for a subset of PPH minor programs. Responsibilities include:

• Monitor applications to health professions programs through the advisor portal established by centralized application services. Collect and maintain outcomes data pertaining to admission of students and alumni to health professions programs.
• Report application outcomes and student success profiles. Communicate student success patterns with students to inform self-assessment and decision-making.
• Review admissions requirements at health professions schools and monitor changes. When necessary, propose revisions to minor programs including coursework, and standards for admission and progression.
• Monitor student progress and review performance for minors with approved standards for admission and progression. Author Admission and Progression Standards proposals (new and renewal) that incorporate prerequisite coursework patterns, admissions requirements, and application outcomes.
• Work in collaboration with the Registrar to manage PPH minor programs in the student information system. Review graduation applications.
• Work in collaboration with Student Academic Success and Enrollment Management, Admissions, Orientation and Transition, University Advising, and the Career Center to insure PPH advising resources are shared with first-year, transfer, exploratory, international, athletic and major advisors.
• Coordinate communications and event announcements.
• Collaborate with Student Activities & Involvement to support PPH-related student organizations and their faculty/staff advisors.
• Represent department at Admissions events (Explore JMU, Choices) and First Year and Transfer Advisor training.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree.
• Higher education experience in advising, teaching, or counseling.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; to include writing, listening, conversing and presenting information.
• Demonstrated fluency working with diverse student populations.
• Well-developed organizational skills; ability to manage multiple projects.
• Ability to work collaboratively as a member of a team that shares responsibility for achieving advising excellence, supporting student success, and implementing strategies to achieve organizational goals.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Degree(s) in science, health-related field, counseling, health profession and/or clinical experience.
• Familiarity with physical therapy, occupational therapy or athletic training.
• Skills in collecting, analyzing and using data to inform advising.
• Strong student development orientation. Ability to troubleshoot problems that interfere with students’ academic progress and experience working to resolve them effectively.
• Experience advising high-achieving students.
• Ongoing commitment to a culture of diversity and inclusion. Apply understanding of holistic admissions and the ways health professions schools are addressing concerns related to access, diversity, and inclusion.
• Experience implementing programs that meet the needs of multiple stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to assume responsibility, take initiative, approach challenges in flexible and/or creative ways.

To learn more and to apply, go to joblink.jmu.edu and reference posting F2172 or go to https://joblink.jmu.edu/postings/14570. Review of applications begins 6/5/2023. Salary is commensurate with experience.

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.