Job Information
Vanderbilt University Director, Health Professions Advisory Office in Nashville, Tennessee
The Director of Health Professions Advisory Office (HPAO) plays a pivotal role in creating and guiding the strategy of how the office advises, supports, and prepares students for exploring and pursuing careers in health professions. The HPAO is positioned within the Vanderbilt Career Center to integrate the pathways of students interested in making their mark on healthcare through a variety of career paths. This integration is done through Vandy in Health, a unique community approach that explores the many ways students can impact healthcare outcomes locally, nationally, and globally. Whether this be through direct patient care, research, healthcare policy and economics, healthcare consulting, we recognize that students are in a phase of self-discovery in college. The HPAO aims to reduce unique individual barriers for pre-health students to discover and successfully navigate their path forward in the health professions while providing the foundation on which they will build their career to be leaders in healthcare dedicated to ensuring the very best care to all members of society.
This role requires an individual who can not only understands the value of providing comprehensive advising but also is a strategically minded with a focus on engaging a variety of stakeholders (faculty, staff, students, alumni, etc.), leveraging scalability, and implementing innovative approaches to support students effectively. The position will also maintain a part-time faculty appointment to teach a Introduction to Medical Professions course and may develop future aligned courses with identified need.
The HPAO Director reports to the Assistant Provost and Senior Director of the Career Center and is a member of the senior leadership team. As a member of the leadership team, the Director of HPAO should seek to collaborate with other Career Center directors to identify opportunities to partner on initiatives that support students pursuing careers in the health profession.
About the Work Unit:
Launched in fall 2021 under the leadership of the new Vice Provost for Career Advancement and Engagement & Executive Director of the Evans Family Career Center, the Office of Career Advancement and Engagement (CAE), centrally supported within the Provost’s Office, drives radical campus-wide collaboration by integrating career advancement activities into the broader VU student experience.
The new CAE division comprises three key areas:
Career Center - serves undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral scholars while continuing to support career and professional coaching of recent graduates (0-2 years) after graduation
Corporate Partnerships – fosters enhanced employer and alumni engagement and facilitates high-impact corporate partnerships
VU Network – oversees a network of regional hubs that promote activity and engagement with Vanderbilt’s growing community of students, alumni, parents, faculty and partnership corporations
The new CAE office offers enhanced career advancement services to connect the wide variety of academic programs and experiences to student career development. In addition, the office reimagines the link between corporate relations and corporate partnerships to generate greater career opportunities and outcomes for students and alumni. Further, the CAE office is currently laying the groundwork for the VU Network Hub, a national engagement program that identifies and stands-up regional hubs to facilitate activity and community interaction for Vanderbilt students, alumni, parents, faculty and partnership corporations.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Lead Strategy and Implementation:
Assess, evaluate, and identify opportunities to shape, refine, or reimagine our strategy for supporting students interested in pursuing health pathways.
Use benchmarking and field best practices to build a best-in-class health pathways advising model.
Serve as a thought leader and strategic collaborator that understands the intersections of health related pathways and how they connect to broadly to students’ career empowerment journey.
Advising and Recommendation Letters:
Design a sustainable, efficient, and effective process to providing committee recommendation letters for student applicants to pre-health pathways.
Counsel current applicants and draft appropriate recommendation letters as a representative of the university (Committee Letter).
Conduct 1:1 advising sessions with students.
Develop a proactive communication plan, including webinars, written materials, and individual meetings, to provide guidance and information to prospective students, parents and coaches.
Programming and Curriculum Development:
Maintain part-time faculty appointment to teach Introduction to Medical Professions course or other aligned courses as developed.
Lead the creation of a comprehensive programming calendar that prepares students for pursuing pre-health careers through Vandy in Health.
Develop programming aligned with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Core Competencies.
Plan and conduct first year orientation sessions.
Oversee the award of the Nance Prize Scholarship selection process.
Consider data and outcomes of the application process to continually improve offerings.
Campus Engagement:
Develop and foster relationships/collaborations across campus to provide opportunities for students.
Collaborate with campus partners such as the Registrar’s office, Office of Student Accountability, and others regarding any issues with student candidacy.
Attend/host orientation events and presentations for new and existing students, parents, and campus partners.
External Partner Engagement:
Maintain affiliations with relevant organizations such as the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP) and Southeastern Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (SAAHP).
Engage with medical school admissions deans/directors to strengthen relationships and stay updated on admission requirements and trends.
Reporting & Data:
Partner with HPAO-Program Manager and Career Center Assistant Director of Technology and Data to create and maintain reporting on HPAO outcomes (student interactions and admissions data).
Use reporting and data storytelling to showcase outcomes and advocate for engagement and resources among the Vanderbilt community.
Student Organizations:
Advise pre-health-related student organizations, including but not limited to:
Vanderbilt PreMed Society
Scientific Immersion and Mentorship
American Medical Student Association
Minority Association of PreMed Students
Student Advocates for Women In Medicine
Vanderbilt Veterinary Medicine Society
Pre-Physician Assistant Society
Supervisory Relationships:
This position has supervisory responsibilities for three staff members: two advisors and one program manager (program manager also advises students).
Education and Certifications:
Terminal degree in a related field (e.g. medicine, health sciences, STEM, etc.) is required.
Experience and Skills:
Minimum 5 years’ experience successfully leading project aligned to student development and exploration, specifically in health or aligned STEM fields.
Required Knowledge and Abilities:
Familiarity with medical school and other health- related (veterinary, dentistry, pharmacy, etc.) admissions processes and requirements.
Demonstrated ability to create plans and lead strategically, using data and helpful resources.
High creativity and innovativeness in approaching problem solving.
Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills; strong interpersonal and presentation skills.
Ability to maintain confidentiality of records and information.
Commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in health professions education.
Demonstrated strong interpersonal and organizational skills.
Preferred Knowledge and Abilities:
Knowledge of design thinking or other helpful frameworks for iterative problem solving.
Ability to work evening hours and a flexible schedule as needed.
Strong initiative, with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Responsible and independent nature: able to set goals and achieve them.
Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.
Please note, all candidates selected for an offer of employment are subject to pre-employment background checks, which may include but are not limited to, based on the role for which they have been selected: criminal history, education verification, social media review, motor vehicle records, credit history, and professional license verification.
Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education.
Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Please note, all candidates selected for an offer of employment are subject to pre-employment background checks, which may include but are not limited to, based on the role for which they have been selected: criminal history, education verification, social media review, motor vehicle records, credit history, and professional license verification.