Health Professions Advising
How HPA helps Virginia Tech students and alumni: Health Professions Advising [HPA] at Virginia Tech assists students and alumni exploring health care careers, and preparing to apply to professional schools for medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, chiropractic, occupational therapy, nursing, physician assistant, veterinary medicine, and other health professions.
Who can use HPA: Any Virginia Tech student, alumna, or alumnus, in any major, can use our services. Although the majority of health professions students choose to major in a science field, it is not required. We encourage you to connect with us during your first year at Virginia Tech.
All advising, whether by appointment or drop-in, is a one-on-one meeting with an HPA professional advisor.
HPA advising by appointment
- Appointments are typically 30 minutes long.
- Offered year round, typically scheduled M-F during hours 8:30am to noon and 1:30-4:30pm ET.
- Can be by Zoom, in person, or by phone.
- During fall and spring semesters, we offer HPA 101 sessions; if your schedule permits, we encourage you to attend a session before your individual appointment.
- To schedule your appointment, call 540-231-7287. If you call outside office hours, or otherwise reach voicemail, leave a message.
HPA drop-in advising on Zoom
Fall 2023 dates and hours:
Mon. Aug 21, through Wed. Dec. 6, 2023, on dates when classes are in session.
- Mon: 1:30-2:30pm ET.
- Tues: 1:30-2:30pm ET.
- Wed: 11:30am-12:30pm ET.
- Thur: 3:30-4:30pm ET.
- Fr: 2-3pm ET.
Zoom link
- Zoom link for drop-in waiting room; from there you'll be moved to a one-on-one meeting.
To call in by phone for drop-in with an HPA advisor:
If you are in Virginia, call 301-715-8592.
When prompted, enter the meeting ID (933 7507 9338).
To join by phone from other locations, call:
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Enter the Meeting ID when prompted: 933 7507 9338
Is your area not listed above? Find your local number at: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/u/ksgiRybjs
Join the HPA Hub on Canvas
- Please complete the brief enrollment form to be added to the HPA Hub on Canvas to be notified of events and opportunities of interest and to access informative materials.
Contact us
For questions or administrative assistance:
- Email HPA@vt.edu, OR
- Call 540-231-7287
[Leave a message if you call outside of office hours or we're on another call.] - We'll respond to messages and emails during office hours.
Office location
Health Professions Advising is a part of Career and Professional Development, located in the Smith Career Center.
- HPA FAQs about getting admitted, undergraduate academic preparation, getting experience, and the application process. This includes HPA FAQs related to the impact of Covid-19 on preparing for and applying to health professional school.
HPA 101 and 202 info sessions
- We encourage you to attend one of these sessions prior to advising so that your individual advising session will be more productive.
- These 60-minute info sessions are held during fall and spring semesters.
- See details and schedule on HPA events.
More HPA events
- HPA also offers opportunities to meet with health professionals, professional school reps, and sessions to prepare for interviews and write application materials.
- See HPA events for details.
Getting notices about HPA events
- To receive information about events, complete this brief enrollment form. We will add you to the HPA Hub so you'll receive notice of events.
Exploring health careers
Explore health careers
- NIH: Explore health and medical science careers
- Health career info includes the specific professions listed below (and more).
Careers in medicine class
- 1-credit | A-F graded | fall semester only
- Course: BIOL 1214; CRN 81700. (see the timetable of classes for more information)
- Offered each fall semester; Wednesdays, 5:30-6:20pm.
- Format: In person.
- Open to any interested Virginia Tech student.
- A variety of health professionals and admissions officers speak to the class about careers, preparation, and admission processes.
Preparing and applying to professional schools
Undergraduate preparation
- Timeline: what to do from first year through senior year of your undergrad program.
- Academic, extra-curricular, and co-curricular prep.
- FAQs about getting admitted, undergraduate academic preparation, getting experience, and the application process.
Applying, admission exams, letters of recommendation
- Tips and resources
- Admission exams
- Letters of recommendation
- FAQs about getting admitted, undergradute academic preparation, getting experience, and the application process.
Health Professions Evaluation Committee [HPEC]
Many health professional schools/programs expect, encourage, or accept, as part of the admission application process, a "committee letter of evaluation" (also known as a "committee letter") written by the applicant's undergraduate institution. The Health Professions Evaluation Committee (HPEC) at Virginia Tech exists to write these committee letters. The HPEC writes such letters only after a process which includes a formal interview with the student-applicant.
STAY INFORMED
CONTACT US
For questions or assistance:
Email HPA@vt.edu, OR
Call 540-231-7287
EXPLORE HEALTH CAREERS
- NIH: Explore health & medical science careers
- Explore Health careers.org includes the specific professions listed below (and more).
- Chiropractic
- Dentistry
- Medicine overview
- Allopathic (M.D.)
- Osteopathic (D.O.)
- Nursing
- Occupational therapy
- Optometry
- Pharmacy
- Physical therapy
- Physician assistant
- Veterinary medicine
- And other graduate health professions