About HPAC
HPAC Mission
The Health Professions Advising Center (HPAC) is the central pre-health office for undergraduate students and alumni across all colleges and schools at Cornell University. Pre-health advising at HPAC is a data-driven, collaborative process that helps Cornell students and alumni make informed decisions regarding their pre-health journey and application to medical, dental, optometry, podiatry, physician assistant, pharmacy, nursing, occupational therapy, chiropractic, physical therapy, speech language pathology, and other professional health programs.
Pre-health advisors provide expertise and guidance on curricular and co-curricular requirements, standardized testing, application preparation as well as other academic and personal resources available at Cornell. Our mission is to provide iterative and developmental advising, not prescriptive advice, focusing on joint problem-solving to help meet the changing and diverse needs of applicants.
Students and alumni are recommended to work in tandem with home college/school advisors/coordinators, student services offices, OUB (Office of Undergraduate Biology), faculty mentors and advisors, OADI (Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives), Pre-Health Peer Leaders and other peer mentors, and campus partners to make sure they are on track with distribution and graduation requirements, pre-enroll, questions about courses, etc. We also encourage working with Cornell Career Services for resume consultation, mock interviews, and more. The Career Development Toolkit is a helpful resource. HPAC also chairs the Cornell University Health Professions Advising Network along with a faculty advisory board to ensure dissemination of important information, any updates and changes relevant for applicants, and collaborative university wide advising for pre-health students and alumni.
Through our various web resources, we hope students and alumni will accomplish the following learning objectives:
- Explore different pre-health tracks.
- Learn about academic requirements and which co-curricular experiences would be relevant for chosen profession.
- Learn about the process of applying to chosen health professional school.
- Know and understand how and when to utilize HPAC resources and pre-health advisors.
- Understand the role they play in shaping their pre-health journey.
Our website is designed to work directly with the HPAC Pre-Health Guide.
Click here for more information and to access.
We strive to be an inclusive space of respect and compassionate understanding, where every member of our campus community and alumni networks may feel seen, accepted, safe, and celebrated. We seek and welcome diverse perspectives and experiences to flourish in our personal and professional endeavors.
Find our Annual Reports below:
Please contact our office if you need a hard copy of the report.
Meet the Team
Rachael Perry
Director, Health Professions Advising
Rachael Perry (she/her) joined Cornell in June 2022 as the Founding Director of Health Professions Advising, overseeing the expansion of Pre-Health advising services on campus.
Rachael earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Keuka College, where she was also a two-time captain of the varsity women’s volleyball team, and a master’s degree in Student Affairs Administration from Binghamton University. Prior to Cornell, she served as the assistant dean for enrollment management and student affairs at Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, leading efforts in student support interventions and overseeing the school’s recruitment and admissions process.
With over a decade of experience working with college students, Rachael has a deep commitment to holistic student well-being and development that guides her in assisting students. Having worked as a Pre-Health advisor at Binghamton University, she has experience to prepare students to become competitive applicants to graduate-level health professions programs. This experience allowed her to shape the Binghamton School of Pharmacy holistic review process and guide the pharmacy admissions committee with best practices to achieve enrollment goals. Rachael was an integral member in the development of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, serving on the Pharmacy Leadership Team, three accreditation self-study committees, the Committee on Awards and Progression, and serving as the chief student affairs officer for the school. Rachael also served as a professional mentor for the Binghamton University Scholar’s Program.
In her free time, Rachael enjoys hiking, skiing and traveling.
Dr. Barbara Oh
Associate Director
Dr. Barbara Oh earned her B.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology, with a minor in Business at Cornell University focusing her research on entrepreneurship in higher education. Through her graduate research, she gained tech startup experience in Silicon Valley. At Cornell, Barbara has worked in academic and career advising, admissions, student academic success, teaching, and research. At HPAC, Barbara’s portfolio includes strategic program development and assessment, advising, and alumni engagement. She engages with the community through Neurodiversity@Cornell, CAAAN (Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network), CAAA (Cornell Asian Alumni Association), advising Chromatic at Cornell (photography student organization), and continuing DEI/DEIA work. In her free time, Barbara likes to take pictures of nature, read biographies, watch documentaries about history and dinosaurs, and keep up with F1 racing.
Nikki Wells
Associate Director
Nikki came to Cornell in 2016 after spending time as a Career Counselor at Ithaca College and Area Coordinator in Residence Life at SUNY Geneseo. Her education includes a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, and a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from the University at Buffalo. She loves to connect with students and help them succeed in and out of the classroom. Nikki often provides advocacy, support, and communication on behalf of students experiencing challenges in their lives that may impact their academic performance and ability to thrive at Cornell. When she’s not in the office, Nikki can be found building inclusive and healthy community while teaching group fitness classes at FLX Fitclub. Her favorite vacation spots include the beach, cruise ships, any Disney park, and Italy.
Robyn Leary
Assistant Director
Robyn (she/her) joined the Cornell community in January 2022 and is passionate about her current role in HPAC supporting students interested in health professions. Originally from Vermont, Robyn is an alumna of Ithaca College and has over 5 years of professional experience supporting students in higher education. Prior to joining HPAC, she worked with the Office of Career Services in the ILR School at Cornell, advising students on resumes, cover letters, practice interviews, and career resources. She appreciates every opportunity to meet new people and learn about their strengths and aspirations. Outside of work, Robyn enjoys outdoor activities, traveling, cooking/baking, reading, and going to local restaurants. She also has a calico cat named Sunny.
Angela Yantorno
Assistant Director
Angela joined Cornell in 2021, first as a lead for the University’s Covid Support Team and as an Academic Advisor for the Graduate School. She recently joined the HPAC team as Assistant Director, a beautiful combination of her previous experience in teaching, macro social work, and academic advising. Angela is passionate about the partnership with students to help them develop agency and realize their goals. She has lived in many different cultures and communities, which allows her to offer diverse perspectives to the HPAC community. Before joining Cornell University, Angela obtained a degree in Macro Social Work (MSW) from Boston College’s School of Social Work and a degree in music performance from Ithaca College’s School of Music. Outside of work, Angela enjoys spending time with her family, playing the violin, and traveling, especially to explore new cultures and cuisines.
Taylor Larkin
Program Coordinator
Taylor was born and raised in Ithaca, NY. She earned her B.S. from Syracuse University and her M.S. from Ithaca College in health and exercise physiology. Taylor has professional experience in higher education, teaching, and research settings. She has also worked closely with populations in the Ithaca area, providing educational programming, advocacy, and resources. Since joining Cornell and the HPAC Team in October 2022, she has enjoyed being able utilize her health background and professional skills in her role. In her free time, you can find Taylor at the gym, playing board games, and spending time with family.
Pre-Health Peer Leaders (PHPLs)
A diverse group of student leader volunteers from a cross-section of colleges, schools, and majors at Cornell are essential members of the team who work closely with the HPAC staff to execute the vision of an inclusive and welcoming pre-health community. These leaders within the pre-health community assist the HPAC staff to develop and implement programs, workshops, and events, contribute to an online social media presence (e.g. Instagram and Discord), hold weekly informal drop-in conversation hours for first and second year students exploring options in human or animal health careers and upper class students planning applications to MD/DO/DDS/Veterinary and PA schools, and collaborate with existing student clubs, organizations, and mentoring programs (such as PATCH, P3, and Pre-Vet Society) to promote a unified pre-health student network. The goal of the Pre-Health Peer Leader role is to support and encourage students with a desire to pursue a career in medicine through peer-to-peer interactions and referrals to resources. Find events and office hours here.
Location and Business Hours
HPAC is located in 107 Day Hall. We are open Monday – Friday from 8:30am-4:30pm. The accessible entrance is on the loading dock side (not the main entrance) which is closest to Sage Hall. From the loading dock entrance, we are the 3rd door on the left (first floor). Please see images below as reference.
Mailing/Shipping address:
107 Day Hall
Cornell University
Health Professions Advising Center
144 Feeney Way, Ithaca NY 14853
Email
prehealthadvising@cornell.edu
Phone
607-254-5777
The HPAC is committed to ensuring access for all. Please contact us at prehealthadvising@cornell.edu if you have any questions or need accommodations