Pre-Professional Specialist

University of Utah; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 60,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Utah is seeking a Pre-Professional Specialist (Pre-Health) to coach undergraduate students exploring health professions. You will guide applicants through pathways, timelines, and readiness, with emphasis on individualized plans and informed decision-making.

The role emphasizes scalable programming, workshops, and staff training, collaborating across U Career Success and health professions partners to expand access and impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and several years of student-facing higher education experience are required.
• Proven ability to coach students and manage high volumes of appointments.
• Strong written and verbal communication, organizational skills, and adaptability.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-on-one pre-health support with high-volume meetings and follow-up.
• Design and facilitate workshops, information sessions, and orientations.
• Develop training materials for advisors and coaches and update resources.
• Collaborate with campus partners to expand access to pre-health programming.
• Stay current on health professions admissions trends and best practices.

Skills

Student coaching

One-on-one meetings

Workshop facilitation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Advising software

Job description

Pre-Professional Specialist

Job Summary

Under the direction of the Sr. Director of U Career Success, thePre-Professional Specialist (Pre-Health) provides individualized,student-centered coaching to undergraduate students exploring,preparing for, and applying to health professions programs. Thespecialist helps students clarify professional goals; understandhealth professions pathways and admissions expectations; developindividualized preparation and application plans; reflect on theirexperiences; and make informed decisions about timing, readiness,and next steps. Approximately 80 percent of this position isdedicated to one-on-one student appointments and related follow-up.This role is not responsible for academic course planning,registration, or transfer credit evaluation; the specialistpartners with academic advisors and other campus experts for thoseservices. The specialist expands access to consistent, high-qualitypre-health support by delivering student workshops and orientationsessions, creating training materials, and training academicadvisors and career coaching staff on foundational pre-healthinformation and referral practices. The position collaboratesacross U Career Success, colleges and academic departments,advising offices, student support services, and relevant healthprofessions partners. The specialist maintains current knowledge ofhealth professions admissions, student development, and inclusivecoaching practices, including resources and best practices from theNational Association of Advisors for the Health Professions. Thespecialist partners with the Pre-Law Specialist, and receivescross-training in Pre-Law to provide limited backup support duringcoverage needs.

Responsibilities

• Provide one on one pre-health support: Conduct a high volume ofindividual student meetings and related follow up. Coach studentson health professions pathways, admissions expectations,application readiness, timelines, written materials, interviews, school selection, gap year planning, and decisions about when toapply.
• Deliver scalable student programming: Design and facilitate workshops, group sessions, information sessions, and orientationprogramming on topics such as health professions exploration, building relevant experiences, application timelines, personalstatements, letters of recommendation, interviews, and readiness toapply. Adapt programming for students at different stages andacross multiple health professions pathways. Collaborate withcareer coaches or campus partners when programming benefits fromtheir expertise.
• Train and equip campus partners: Develop and regularly updatepractical training materials, referral guides, and presentationresources for academic advisors, career coaches, and other studentfacing staff. Facilitate training that promotes accurate pre-healthinformation, consistent student support, and clear referralpractices.
• Collaborate across campus: Build productive relationships withcareer coaches, colleges, academic departments, advising offices, student support units, admissions, and relevant external partners.Participate in initiatives and events that advance student accessand success.
• Maintain professional expertise: Stay current on healthprofessions admissions trends, prerequisite and applicationexpectations, professional competencies, and inclusive studentsupport practices. Engage with professional developmentopportunities and networks, including NAAHP, and translate relevantupdates into student programming, staff training, and coachingpractice.
• Document and improve services: Maintain timely, accurate, andconfidential records of student interactions and use approvedsystems to support follow-up. Contribute to assessment activitiesby identifying student needs, tracking participation and trends,and recommending improvements to services and programming.
• Support events and operations: Participate in new studentorientation, campus events, and occasional evening or weekendprograms. Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• Four years of progressively responsible, student-facingexperience in higher education, college access, career coaching,student success, advising, or a related setting, includingsubstantial experience conducting one-on-one studentmeetings.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust with students; use a coachingapproach that supports informed decision-making and workingeffectively with students from varied backgrounds, identities, andexperiences.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and deliver clear, engagingpresentations or workshops for students and staff.
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, and organizational skills,including the ability to manage a high volume of appointments,follow up, and competing priorities.
• Ability to build effective working relationships with campuspartners and apply sound judgment when referring students toappropriate resources.
• Applicants must demonstrate the potential ability to perform theessential functions of the job as outlined in the positiondescription.

Preferences

• Master's degree in higher education, student affairs, counseling,public health, a health related field, or a closely relateddiscipline.
• Experience supporting undergraduate students who are exploring orapplying to health professions programs, such as medicine,dentistry, physician assistant, nursing, pharmacy, physicaltherapy, occupational therapy, veterinary medicine, or relatedfields.
• Knowledge of health professions admissions processes, applicationtimelines, holistic review, common application components, and thevaried preparation expectations across health professionspathways.
• Experience creating and delivering training for advisors,coaches, faculty, or other student-facing staff.
• Demonstrated engagement with NAAHP or comparable professionaldevelopment in pre-health advising, health professions admissions,or student success.

Position Details

• Requisition Number: PRN46496B
• Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
• Work Schedule Summary: M-F 8-5, some early mornings, evenings or weekends as needed
• Department: 00304 - U Career Success
• Location: Campus
• Pay Rate Range: 60000 to 63000
• Close Date: 12/31/2026