Help! I Need
Somebody…I Am a New
Pre-Health Professions
Advisor!
Bowling Green State University
Shai Collier, Academic Advisor
Lee Ann Koenigbauer, Academic Advisor Session 277/461
Overview
• Strategies for gathering information
• People
• Places
• Things
• Strategies for coping with stress –
adapted from “How to Survive Your
Freshman Year in High School”
“How to Survive Your Freshman Year in High School”. wikiHow to do anything. Mediawiki. 24 Aug 2012. 28 Aug 2012.
<http://www.wikihow.com/Survive-Your-Freshman-Year-in-High-School>
Context
Bowling Green State University (BGSU)
• Public institution
• 20,000 (approximately)
• “Pre-professional” preparation programs
• College of Arts & Sciences
• Two tiered advising system
• Faculty
• Professional advisors
People, Places, Things
STRATEGIES
“Strategies With People”
• Faculty
• NACADA health professions colleagues
• Outreach to other institutions
• Seasoned advisor(s)
• Collaborating across campus
• College of Health and Human Services
• Honors, AIMS, SETGO, SMEA, IDEAL
• Student organizations
Strategies in “Places”
• Webinars
• Conferences
• Office resources
• Institution library
• Internet
• NACADA Pre-Health Care Advising Website:
http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/Advi
singIssues/Pre-Health.htm#res
“Strategies With Things”
• Key publications
• AAMC Medical school admission
requirements
• Preview guide for new MCAT
• Professional organizations
• Health profession application websites
• Read, read, read
• Social media
Tips and Tricks
JUST LIKE SURVIVING 9TH GRADE
1. Make Good First Impressions
• Use your poker face
• Act professionally
• Office space
• Ok to say you don’t know
• Be teachable
• Respect is earned
2. Find Someone to Sit With At
Lunch (Making Friends)
This is all about making friends on your campus
that are critical to the success of your new role…
• Registrar
• Faculty
• Staff
• Student Financial Aid
• Bursar
• Etc.
3. Find Someone to Follow to Class
• Experienced advisors
• Experienced faculty
• Support staff
• Other institution professionals
• Vendors
4. Study
• Webinars
• Professional journals
• Professional organization websites
• Education associations
• Current events and trends
• List serve dialogue
• Pre-professional literature/books
5. Be Involved in Extracurricular
Activities
• Conferences
• Advisory council/board
• Recruitment for science disciplines
• Committees
• Curriculum
• Student Retention
• General Education
• Email List Serve
6. Eat Breakfast and Lunch
Work well, eat well, rest well, play well
• Get away from your new role
• Don’t check your email after office hours
• Don’t ask your doctor how they passed MCAT
• Exercise
• Schedule down time during the work day
7. Be Organized
• Organization is key
• Catalog the information you are
gathering
• Save informational files
• Technology is your friend – utilize it to
your advantage
Your Ideas
THANK YOU!!!