Health Professions Advising Office

Health Professions Advising Office
Gordon Hall 223
657-278-3980
fullerton.edu/healthprofessions

Director and Adviser
Michele Mouttapa

Introduction

In the 50-plus years of its existence, the Health Professions Advising Office has assisted thousands of students in gaining admission to health professional schools. Past students have gained entry into Harvard University, Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the majority of UC campuses. The Health Professions Advising Office is well-situated to assist first-generation and underrepresented students in their successful matriculation into professional schools. According to 2019 rankings published in Diverse: Issues of Higher Education, CSUF is first in California and second in the nation for awarding bachelor’s degrees to underrepresented students in all disciplines.

From its original mission of preparing pre-medical students to become competitive applicants for medical school, the HPAO’s mandate has expanded in recent years to prepare, inform and advise CSUF students about the following careers: medicine (allopathic, osteopathic, podiatric), dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, physician assistant and veterinary medicine. Since 2017, the HPAO also has begun advising students who are interested in allied health careers, including physical therapy, occupational therapy and public health. Preparation for success begins early and continues throughout the students’ academic career at CSUF. Overseen by the Health Professions Committee, the HPAO fosters students’ success through its one-on-one advising and support of several pre-health student organizations, mock interview practice, personal statement reviews and full support through the professional school application process. The Health Professions Advising Office also offers the pre-health professions minor. The minor provides students who are non-science majors with a structured pathway to complete several prerequisite science courses, and offers science majors the opportunity to complete coursework in the social sciences, population health and cross-cultural studies. Through its community engagement initiatives, the HPAO has established early conditional acceptance (linkage) agreements with professional schools, including Lake Erie College of Medicine, Marshall B. Ketchum University, St. George’s University, American University of Antigua, Ross University and Western University.

Programs

Non-Degree

Pre-Health Professions Minor