Health Careers Advisement Office (HCAO)

Location: Biological Sciences 170, 174
Phone: 323-343-6062

Welcome!

The primary goal of the HCAO is to provide support services and information for pre-health professional students before, during, and after they apply to health professional schools. The HCAO serves pre-health professional students who are interested in the following professions: medicine (allopathic, osteopathic and chiropractic), optometry, veterinary medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, podiatry, and physician assistant. If you are interested in a career in Nursing, click here.

The HCAO gives students the opportunity to open a confidential recommendation letter file in their freshman year (or later) and to continue to update it until they are ready to apply to a professional school at the end of their junior year. At the HCAO, students find faculty support, advisement, and services they need to achieve their professional goals.

HCAO services include:

• Annual HCAO orientation session for interested students

• Academic and pre-health professional advising

• Information about opportunities for volunteer work and research experience

• Information about information days and conferences at health professional schools

• A personal and confidential file for each student’s recommendation letters

• Mailing service for students’ recommendation letters

• Personal statement assistance

• The Health Careers Evaluation Committee service for qualified students

• Mock interviews with optional video taping of the student

• Information about post-baccalaureate and summer enrichment programs