Professional Schools Counselor

Job Summary
This position counsels BYU undergraduate, graduate, and alumni that are desiring to pursue a health professions career by; assessing each student’s individual efforts and outside factors relating to the student’s possible success or lack thereof, and then, with the student, develops a strategic plan about what is necessary, facilitates referrals to resources or opportunities that may be valuable, and assists in problem-solving and strategic presentation of the person’s experiences to be successfully admitted to their desired school. This position requires significant follow-up with students throughout the application time period, depending upon the students needs to eventually be adequately prepared. This position also teaches STDEV learning courses, as assigned, and will contribute to program and policy development, training, and research within the PPAC. This position also serves on committees and functions as a liaison with other offices as requested.

Essential Functions

1. Directly counsel and mentor 1000+ students seeking to pursue Health Professional School in their career exploration, professional development, as well as the research/volunteer/community service/leadership efforts needed for each type of professional school.

• Understand students’ backgrounds, motivations, aptitudes, concerns, ideas, interests, dislikes, and preferences to appropriately counsel on options.
• Enable exploration and application readiness by:
  • 1:1 meetings.
  • Hosting workshops to demonstrate ways to work to develop significant attributes necessary for success.
  • Specific networking efforts to connect students to programs and other interested parties.
  • Work with BYU Medical Society to coordinate and promote research, mentoring, and shadowing possibilities.
• Facilitates difficult conversations regarding life and challenges pursuing these careers.
  • Provides counseling to students who need to consider options and limitations, refers students to appropriate resources and facilitates a “next-steps” plan.
  • Uses a high degree of judgment to assess how to appropriately handle each unique situation with students. Decides on what kind of conversation will be necessary, i.e. consoling, redirecting, support, or informational.
  • Provides support and mentors students needing encouragement along the path while maintaining the professionalism necessary to objectively advise students on their progress.
  • Assists students planning to re-apply by assessing factors that student can improve including examining and discussing any mental health concerns, adverse events, circumstances, introspective limitations as presented in application.
• Help students prepare their soft-skill competencies including:
  • Advising on application strategies, which would include which schools to apply to, timing, what experiences and activities to include in application packet, how to present these activities and experiences, and how to navigate interviews.
  • Provide counseling on managing multiple school offers.
  • Work with students in the development of professional competencies required for application success such as cultural competence, capacity for improvement, critical thinking, and social skills.
• Do industry analysis to stay current to be able to give the best counsel to students
  • Monitor what is happening in each health care field to provide an accurate picture of the professions to students
  • Stay current with trends in application processes and what schools are looking for in successful candidates
  • Analyze statistics of BYU students and alumni who apply to professional schools to understand trends and make adjustments to counseling approaches.

2. Develop and strengthen relationship with various school recruiters, BYU alumni, and other health professional school experts with the purpose of enabling a broad set of opportunities for BYU Preprofessional Advisement Center applicants.

• Identify, develop, and manage critical relationships with recruiters and alums at targeted health professional school programs that offer/may offer admission opportunities to BYU Preprofessional Advisement applicants.
• Understand the unique profile, expectations, and requirements these schools are expecting in student applicants. Understand how the school’s culture and opportunities align with students’ interests, motivations, and values.
• Identify, develop, and maintain key relationships with recruiters and BYU alum at selected schools.
• Host recruiters and other professionals participating in on-campus recruiting and or other related events (ranging from 50-85+ visits, yearly).

3. Teaching

• Teaches Student Development learning courses, as assigned.
• Develop, edit, and maintain curriculum for each assigned class.
• Manage Canvas or Learning Suite portals
• Supervise TAs and direct their approach to grading and managing each class

4. Other

• Provide leadership and administrative support to PPAC Health Professional clubs, BYU Medical Society and others, as assigned.
  • Oversee budget and expenditures for each group
  • Provide direction and help to ensure each group fulfills their mission and contributes the mission of BYU
• PPAC Citizenship
  • Serves on department and university committees, as needed.
  • Serves as a liaison to other offices and campus organizations as requested.
  • Maintains counseling notes and other appropriate documentation.
  • Assists PPAC director in finding ways to improve the offerings of the office
  • Helps support the PPAC director in the development of programs, policy, and the application of these programs and policies to the students.

Minimum education/experience/skills required:

Required

• Master’s degree required, preferably in advisement, counseling, school psychology or in a health-related or science field. Master's degree must be completed by May 1, 2023.
• 4 or more years relevant advisement experience or 4 or more years of experience in a relevant helping profession, or health professions profession.
• Must possess advanced helping skills (listening, empathy, etc.) and expertise in helping university students with life planning, decision-making, information gathering, networking, and major/career selection.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and professionalism, including the ability to communicate well with students and other individuals from a broad range of education and experience backgrounds, as well as the ability to apply various advisement paradigms.
• Understanding of typical obstacles, challenges, and causes of success and failure for those pursuing these types of professions.
• Ability to work in a face-paced environment while managing and prioritizing multiple responsibilities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and /or knowledge or ability to learn other relevant computer applications.
• Ability to meet effectively with students through Zoom or other video-conferencing software.
• Demonstrated competencies and experience with diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Ability to present to groups and teach classes.

Preferred:

• Should possess a knowledge of a variety of health professions programs, including knowledge of details about the professions, as well as understanding of the professional school application procedures.
• Knowledge of BYU academic policies and procedures, non-academic services and departments (including resources outside of BYU), that will help with pre-professional school preparation is necessary.
• Skill and or experience with research and data collection and analysis.
• Skills in teaching, program development, management, making presentations, teamwork, and leadership are also required.
• Self-motivated.

Employee Class: Administrative

Work Location: Provo Campus

Environment: General office or other equivalently good environment

Physical Exam Required: N

Physical Exam Details:

Desired Start Date: As soon as possible

Job Close Date: Open Until Filled

Pay Level: 53

Approximate Starting Salary: $66,500 - $86,000

Documents Required at time of Application:

Required: Cover Letter, Resume
Optional: Letter of Recommendation 1

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must hold and be worthy to hold a current temple recommend.

Brigham Young University is an equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veteran status.