Mercer University’s Health Vocations Advisement Committee is a group of faculty and staff members who work with pre-dental, pre-medical, pre-podiatry, pre-optometry, and pre-veterinary students to help them prepare their applications for professional schools.

The HVAC’s primary function is to write letters of evaluation for students who are applying to professional schools; however, they do so only after a thorough review of each student’s academic records and extracurricular activities.    

The HVAC conducts only two letter-writing cycles each year:  one during the fall semester and one during the spring semester.  The HVAC meets to prepare a student evaluation letter for each student who submits the required materials by the appropriate deadline for each cycle (August 13, 2012 for fall 2012; January 8, 2013 for spring 2013), so timing of the request is important.  Students should consult the table below for the optimum time to request their HVAC letter:

*      Based on estimates only. The student is responsible for investigating deadlines of his/her target schools and deciding which HVAC cycle is best for his/her plans.  Students may consult the pre-professional advisor for assistance in this regard.

The HVAC meets to prepare a student evaluation letter for each student who submits the required materials by the appropriate deadline for each cycle.  At this meeting, the HVAC assembles a candid evaluation of the student’s qualifications in each of the following areas (if possible):

·         Academic performance; 

·         Engagement in his/her education;

·         Communication skills (both written and oral);

·         Personal responsibility and time management skills;

·         Interpersonal relations (teamwork and leadership skills);

·         Commitment to service; and

·         Depth and breadth of relevant professional experience (shadowing, internships, etc.).

The student is evaluated in these areas on the basis of the evidence available from a student’s academic records, the materials submitted to the HVAC by the student, and the committee members’ personal observations of the student. The HVAC also consults with Mercer University faculty and/or staff members who know the applicant from classes or extracurricular activities.  The committee also seeks input from “advocates” supplied by the students. Students are encouraged to invite up to two advocates to speak on his/her behalf at the meeting. Advocates can be Mercer University faculty or staff members, health care professionals, or other community members with whom the student has worked. Advocates supply specific anecdotal accounts to bolster the substantive content of the HVAC’s evaluation letter.

To access the instructions required to submit a request, click on the links below.
    Directions for requesting an HVAC letter for the first time