The posting
Position Title:
Associate Director, Health Sciences & Pre-law Advisor
Work Type:
Full time
Location:
Swarthmore College
Approved Location Type:
On Campus
Department:
Work Shift:
Day Shift (United States of America)
The Opportunity:
At Swarthmore, Career Services partners with colleagues across campus, including faculty, to promote a campus culture of career wellness, such that all students feel empowered to explore their interests and navigate fulfilling career paths. We believe in meeting students and alumni where they are at, acknowledging that each person’s career journey is unique, whether they are exploring new possibilities or have a particular destination in mind. Swarthmore Career Services fulfills its educational mission of inclusive excellence through collaborative programming and our individualized approach to advising. These strategies help students and alumni leverage their strengths, connect learning within and in and beyond the classroom, and prepare to engage as leaders making a difference in their chosen fields.
The Associate Director of Health Professions & Pre-Law Advising delivers strategic, holistic, and equitable pre-professional advising and admissions counseling to Swarthmore College students and alumni (~850 current undergraduates and 100+ active alumni candidates annually). Positioned within Career Services and reporting directly to the Director of Career Readiness & Alumni Connections, the individual in this role will develop and manage relevant programming, resources and informational materials, services, and collaborative initiatives that support the exploration of and preparation for graduate study in the health professions and legal fields. Potential fields of interest include medicine, allied health, law, and related graduate fields, including dentistry, veterinary, nursing, public health, physician assistant, pharmacy, optometry, podiatry, physical therapy, among others.
Essential Responsibilities:
The Associate Director oversees the institutional Health Sciences Advisory Committee letter process for medical and dental school applicants, manages pre-law application support, cultivates relationships with admissions deans and alumni mentors, and leads cohort-tracking and data-driven equity initiatives, including producing annual reports on admissions statistics. The person in this role will also serve as an academic advisor to ~10 first and second-year students each year. This work involves empathic, timely, and confidential communication with students, alumni, and occasionally parents navigating high-pressure, highly selective processes and complicated decisions related to health professions and pre-law pathways.
A successful candidate for this role must possess high emotional intelligence, strong collaboration/relationship-building skills, and the ability to communicate sensitively with students (and others) as they navigate challenges/new-directions and encounter high pressure/expectation situations.
Academic & Pre-Professional Advising
- Provide comprehensive pre-health and pre-law advising for students and alumni on the decision making, process, and strategies information about the requirements for law, medical, dental, veterinary, and other health professions schools.
- Serve as academic advisor to ~10 first and second year students annually.
- Manage and maintain email distribution lists for students and alums, so as to communicate programs, summer opportunities, jobs, and other matters of interest.
- Make presentations at events like Orientation, Garnet Weekend, Swatstruck, faculty meetings and recruitment events.
- Oversee the creation and maintenance of the Health Sciences and Pre-law websites, including guides, resources, admissions statistics, and links to jobs, internships, volunteer opportunities, school information and application services.
- Maintain and build relationships with law school and health professions admissions representatives.
- Monitor and stay up-to-date on Swarthmore curriculum changes and requirements as well shifts in medical school and law school admission processes.
- Participate in regional and national associations (e.g. NEAAHP, NAAHP, NAPLA, LAN, etc.) to stay current on health professions and pre-law advising; Serve as the College’s representative on NECOME, a consortium of medical schools and liberal arts colleges, and the TRICO advisors’ consortium.
- Collaborate with the Career Services team to help students and alumni explore and connect with related research, clinical, and real world experiences such as internships and gap year opportunities.
Health Professions & Law School Admissions Support
- Meet with and guide student and alumni applicants to medical, dental, veterinary and law school through the admissions process, including application assistance, interview prep, essay feedback, and recommendations.
- Maintain and analyze annual admissions-related data and statistics for health professions and law-school processes and outcomes, including preparing materials for annual reports and admissions statistics dashboards
- Write Health Sciences Advisory Committee Letter for every undergraduate and alum applicant to medical and dental school, which includes gathering and incorporating information from the applicants, and collecting and tracking recommendations from faculty.
- Critique written materials for graduate program applications, including resumes, application mini essays and personal statements.
- Coordinate MCAT and LSAT prep by negotiating and arranging for subsidized Kaplan classes.
- Manage logistics of Early Assurance Programs to medical school, including publicity, candidate eligibility and application processes.
- Chair and manages the selection process for the annual Karen Dvonch Steinmetz Award.
- Write letters of recommendation for students seeking internships, jobs, and volunteer service.
- Complete dean’s certifications for law school applicants.
- Curate and update resources and opportunities for mock interviews related to the admissions processes (e.g. MMI).
Programming and Strategic Collaborations
- Chair and coordinate the activities of the Health Sciences Advisory Committee of faculty and deans’staff, who evaluate every Swarthmore applicant to medical school
- Liaise with the Office of Academic Success on advising resources and support for students, alumni and academic advisors.
- Create and publicize programs of interest to pre-law and pre-medical students; Collaborate with related pre-professional student groups (e.g. Pre-Law Society, etc.) and tri-college advisors on campus-specific and tri-College pre-law and health professions programming.
- Develop and maintain working relationships with faculty and student deans
- Facilitate workshops and panel presentations involving alumni and other professionals in the legal and health fields.
- Participate in regional and national associations to stay current in the fields. Serves as the College’s representative on NECOME, a consortium of medical schools and liberal arts colleges, and the TRICO advisors’ consortium.
- Assists with other areas of the Division of Student Affairs (DoSA) as needed.
Supervision & Administrative Duties
- Supervise one, part-time (.75 FTE) staff - Coordinator, Health Professions & Pre-Law Advising.
- Manage operational budget in support of pre-law and health professions initiatives, including ensure timely processing of invoices and annual subscriptions.
- Provide general support for Career Services and Division of Student Affairs (DoSA) strategic initiatives and support for office-wide programming/events as needed.
What you bring:
Required Qualifications
- Master’s degree in related field such as Higher Education Administration, Student Personnel, Counseling, health professions, law, etc.
- Minimum of 4–7 years of academic advising or career counseling experience working with students in a college setting.
- Outstanding written, verbal, and expository editing skills required for personal statement critiques and institutional Committee Letter writing.
- Demonstrated record of supporting diverse student populations, including underrepresented, international, and first-generation college students.
- Supervisory experience.
- Strong advising and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work with and learn new technologies and systems.
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous experience with pre-professional (pre-health or pre-law) admissions advising, academic advising or related industry-specific career advising in a college setting preferred.
- In-depth familiarity with medical/dental (AMCAS/AACOMAS/AADSAS) and/or law school (LSAC) application processes, standardized testing (MCAT/LSAT), and committee letter structures.
- Advanced degree (Ed.D, Ph.D., J.D., or Master’s) in health professions or legal field.
- Prior experience chairing or writing for a Health Professions Committee.
- Proficiency with advising tech tools and CRMs (e.g., Workday, Handshake).
Working Conditions
- This is a fully in-person, on-campus position.
- Occasional travel for professional associations or conferences.
- Occasional night or evening work.
What You Will Get:
You’ll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative, and compassionate people who are dedicated to helping students and alumni from varied backgrounds explore their interests and prepare for paths after Swarthmore.
The market range for this position is $100,000-$110,000 per year, which represents the College’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting. The salary offered is determined based on factors including, but not limited to, experience and education of the final selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.
PA Criminal Clearance Required
Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.
Education Verification Required by Position
An education verification is required for this position because a college degree is a required qualification for this position.
Applications received are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. An optional cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position is preferred. If you have experience that meets any of the preferred qualifications, please include a detailed explanation of any such experience in your cover letter and how it meets the preferred qualification(s).
Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.
Swarthmore Benefits and Programs
Retirement Plans
Tuition Grant Program
Tuition Reimbursement Program
Paid Time Off (Staff)
Holiday Schedule
Swarthmore College is committed to creating a culture of respect and inclusion so that every member of our community feels a sense of belonging. We actively seek and welcome candidates with diverse perspectives and experiences, exceptional qualifications, and a demonstrable commitment to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on any identity or characteristic protected by law or College Policy.
