To assist students in deciding what career they wish to pursue, SSU's Health Professions Advisory Program has a Committee whose members act as advisors. The Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC) is composed of faculty members, many of whom are involved in teaching courses that are taken by pre-health professions students. There is also a staff member in the HPAC office (Darwin 200) who oversees the administrative functions of the program.
In addition to advising, the Committee prepares the HPAC Letter of Evaluation which is a critical part of the application process for entrance into a health professions school. Most health professions schools place more value on the health professions advisory committee evaluation of a candidate than they do on separate letters from individual faculty members because of the broader perspective of the candidate by the committee, and because this one letter contains a summary of many recommendations.
Every spring, each student who is applying to health professions schools during the following summer and fall is given a practice interview with two to three of the Committee members present. Many larger universities do not offer either of these two services.
Members of HPAC
Dr. Joseph Lin, Chair
Department of Biology
Phone: 707-664-2931
Email: linj@sonoma.edu
Office: Darwin Hall 211
Dr. Daniel Crocker
Department of Biology
Phone: 707-664-2995
Email: crocker@sonoma.edu
Office: Darwin Hall 242
Dr. Steven Farmer
Department of Chemistry
Phone: 707-664-3728
Email: farmers@sonoma.edu
Office: Darwin Hall 300H
Dr. Murali Pillai
Department of Biology
Phone: 707-664-2981
Email: pillai@sonoma.edu
Office: Darwin Hall 214
Dr. Heather Smith
Department of Psychology
Phone: 707-664-2587
Email: heather.smith@sonoma.edu
Office: Stevenson Hall 3089
Dr. Bülent Sökmen
Department of Kinesiology
Phone: 707-664-2789
Email: sokmen@sonoma.edu
Office: PE 17
Dr. Bala Ravikumar
Department of Computer Science
Phone: 707-664-3335
Email: ravikuma@sonoma.edu
Office: Darwin Hall 116I