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.
Advising and Getting Started
All advising, whether by appointment or drop-in, is a one-on-one meeting with an HPA professional advisor.
Health Professions Advising (HPA) advising appointments:
- Usually 30 minutes long.
- Offered year round, Monday through Friday (excluding dates university or CPD are closed).
- Offered during business hours and some evening hours.
- Offered 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.
Scheduling:
- Handshake schedule a new appointment. (You’ll be prompted for your VT log in.)
Choose a category.
Choose the appointment type for “healthcare and health sciences.”
Select date(s) with appointments available, and follow prompts to schedule. - Call HPA: 540-231-7287.
If you prefer to speak with us, or you are not able to schedule in Handshake, don’t hesitate to call.
If you call outside office hours, or otherwise reach voicemail, leave a message.
Canceling:
If you subsequently realize you cannot attend the appointment you scheduled, cancel on Handshake or call 540-231-7287, so that the advising time is available to another person who needs it.
HPA drop-in advising on Zoom
Zoom link
- Zoom link for drop-in waiting room; from there you’ll be moved to a one-on-one meeting.
Spring 2026 dates and hours:
- Monday, January 5 through Wednesday, May 6, on dates when classes are in session.
- Mondays: 1:30 – 2:30pm ET
- Tuesdays: 1:30 – 2:30pm ET
- Wednesdays: 11:30am – 12:30pm ET
- Thursdays: 3:30 – 4:30pm ET
- Fridays: 2:00 – 3:00pm ET
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.
HPA staff
- Ms. Jen Heinold | Assistant Director for Health Professions Advising
- Dr. Susan Meacham | Career Advisor for Health Professions Advising
- Ms. Patricia Hughes | Administrative Operations for Health Professions Advising
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 service within Career and Professional Development, located in the Smith Career Center on the Blacksburg campus.
HPA FAQs about getting admitted, undergraduate academic preparation, getting experience, and the application process.
HPA 101 and 202 | More HPA Events
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 notices of events.
Exploring 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. (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.
Common prerequisite coursework by profession
- Prerequisite coursework varies both by profession and by the specific institution offering the professional degree.
- Students are encouraged to review graduate school admissions requirements of each institution and program of interest to ensure completion of prerequisite coursework.
- Some Virginia Tech courses may be restricted to students from specific majors during certain terms. Please consult with your academic advisor if you have questions about how this could affect your academic plan.
- View academic preparation with common prerequisite courses by profession.
Applying, admission exams, letters of recommendation
- Tips and resources
- Admission exams
- Letters of recommendation
- FAQs about getting admitted, undergraduate 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 personnel in the applicant’s undergraduate institution. The Health Professions Evaluation Committee (HPEC) at Virginia Tech are personnel who write these committee letters. The HPEC writes such letters only after a process which includes a formal interview with the student-applicant.
Admission Opportunities and Agreements
The following opportunities are available to Virginia Tech graduates who meet certain criteria. Please note, applying to one of the programs below does not bind an applicant to accept an offer of admission should one be presented.
A guaranteed admission agreement or opportunity means that a college, university, or professional school program guarantees admission to individuals who meet certain criteria, including admission and application requirements.
Some professional schools may offer priority admission status, a guaranteed interview, an accelerated timeline to degree, or other opportunities to qualified Virginia Tech graduates. Read about the different opportunities below:
Contact Us
Email HPA@vt.edu, OR
Call 540-231-7287
Connect & Stay Informed
Virginia Tech Community Spotlight
This section will feature stories about Virginia Tech students, faculty/staff, and programs that highlight the Healthcare and Health Sciences pathway. Each article was published in Virginia Tech News.
No-cost menstrual product dispensers promote accessibility on campus
Class of 2025: Neena O’Mara finds purpose through service and a future in medicine
Virginia Tech Rescue Squad receives first place, MERIT status at national conference
