Health Professions Advising Officer

Position Summary:

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is accepting applicants for a Health Professions Advising Officer position in the Biology Department as part of the Southwest Wisconsin Initiative for Future Talent in Health (SWIFT Health) initiative. Reporting to the Health Professions Program Manager, this position provides individual and group advising to undergraduate students and alumni pursuing medicine, nursing, physician assistant studies, dentistry, physical therapy, and related health professions. The advisor supports academic planning, career exploration, professional school applications, and professional development. As a foundational member of a growing pre-health advising office, the successful candidate will help establish advising processes, resources, programming, and student tracking systems.

The position collaborates with faculty advisors, campus partners, healthcare organizations, employers, and alumni to coordinate advising and create experiential opportunities. The successful candidate should be comfortable solving problems creatively and adapting as the program develops. This position is scheduled primarily during normal working hours and is in-person.

This is a full-time, grant-funded position with a salary of $55,000 per year. This position is benefit and paid leave eligible, with employment contingent on grant funds expected through June 2031 with the possibility of continuation beyond the grant timeframe if funding available.

Key Job Responsibilities:

Pre-Health Advising:

• Provides one-on-one advising to pre-health students and alumni on course planning, professional school requirements, and career exploration across health profession tracks.
• Guides students through the professional school application process, including personal statements, letters of recommendation, entrance exam preparation (MCAT, DAT, and related examinations), and interview preparation.
• Collaborates with the Health Professions Program Manager to develop and deliver workshops, presentations, and group advising sessions on pre-health topics, sharing delivery responsibilities on a rotating basis.
• Identifies, tracks, and maintains accurate records of students pursuing pre-health pathways, including advising contacts and progress toward pre-health milestones, to support program reporting and grant deliverables.
• Maintains confidentiality and accurate student records and responds to advising inquiries according to established institutional and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) policies.
• Collaborates with faculty advisors and the Health Professions Program Manager to ensure consistent, well-coordinated advising across the program.

Program Development and Professional Engagement:

• Contributes to the development of new pre-health advising office processes, resources, and programming as the office establishes its presence on campus.
• Builds and maintains professional networks with healthcare organizations, employers, alumni, and clinical partners to create student opportunities such as job shadowing and clinical exposure.
• Participates in the campus advising community and collaborates with campus partners to support advising initiatives and student success.
• Actively participates in professional development through the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP), including regional and national conferences as opportunities arise.
• Contributes to and, by Year 3, is expected to independently prepare and deliver a presentation at a NAAHP regional or national conference in collaboration with the Health Professions Program Manager.
• May take on additional pre-health advising support responsibilities aligned with individual strengths and program needs, in partnership with the Health Professions Program Manager, as the office structure and caseload distribution evolve.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in any field.
• Minimum of 2 years of direct experience advising, coaching, or mentoring students pursuing health professions.
• Strong understanding of health profession school admissions requirements and processes.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional networks with healthcare organizations, employers, and alumni to create student opportunities.
• Willingness to actively participate in professional development through NAAHP, including regional and national conferences as opportunities arise.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Competency in Microsoft Office Suite, including proficiency in Excel for data tracking purposes.
• Demonstrated organizational skills, attention to detail, and comfort maintaining accurate, organized records.
• Ability to work collegially with students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds.
• Comfort working in a developing program with evolving priorities; ability to problem-solve and adapt approaches as needs change.

Why it is great to be a Pioneer:

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville, founded in 1866, offers associate, baccalaureate, and master’s degree programs in a broad spectrum of disciplines including: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; criminal justice; education; business; agriculture; and liberal arts. The Platteville campus is located in Southwest Wisconsin's largest community, which has a rich history rooted in mining —particularly lead mining —dating back to the early 19th century. The region offers excellent school systems, high-quality medical and hospital facilities, outstanding recreational opportunities, and vibrant businesses and industries. UW-Platteville serves as a cultural and educational center for the Tri-State region of Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

The Department of Biology in the College of Business, Industry, Life Sciences and Agriculture has 13 full-time tenure-track positions and regularly employ an additional 2 instructional academic staff and 4 support staff. The undergraduate program offers a BS in Biology with several emphases (botany, comprehensive, ecology, general, health sciences, molecular/genetics, nursing, secondary education, and zoology). We emphasize experiential learning and have up-to-date, well-equipped labs and classrooms in recently renovated Boebel Hall. With around 350 students, the Biology major is the third largest on-campus major.

Application Deadline:

To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by October 30, 2026. Applications will be accepted until the position has been filled.

The following documents are required for applicant consideration:

• Letter of application addressing all required qualifications.
• A current resume.

For questions regarding this position, please contact Nadia Sifri, 608-342-7125, [email protected].

Legal Notices and Important Information: 

Employment will require a criminal background check. It will also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University ensures physical accessibility to work environments for persons with disabilities and will provided reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to employment. Upon request, the University will provide reasonable accommodations for religious observances and practices.

The University is committed to a program of affirmative action for women, racial minorities, persons with disabilities, disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam era. While the Chancellor assumes overall responsibility for the success of the program, university administrators and supervisors are responsible and accountable for implementation. Authority for monitoring the program is delegated to Human Resources.

Each individual associated with the University is called upon to pledge a new and revitalized commitment to build and maintain a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination, an environment that fosters mutual respect, recognizes the dignity and worth of all people, and promotes to the fullest, equal employment opportunity through affirmative action.

In compliance with the Clery Act of 1998, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Annual Security & Annual Fire Safety Report is available for review. Call the UW-Platteville Campus Police Office at 608.342.1584 for a paper copy of the annual report.

The Universities of Wisconsin will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. §. 19.36(7).

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer:

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.