Advising physiology students: perceptions from the programs

Abstract

Crecelius AR, Crosswhite PL. Advising physiology students: perceptions from the programs. Adv Physiol Educ 44: 646–652, 2020; doi:10.1152/advan.00184.2019.—Academic advising outcomes can be linked to both student success and retention. Yet relatively little is known specifically related to advising in physiology programs. Professional organizations dedicated to academic advising in general, and more specifically advising future health professional students exist, yet, whether current physiology programs utilize these resources remains unknown, as does a number of other demographic information about advising in physiology programs. Here we present data gathered from a sample of physiology educators to inform what current advising practices of physiology students are. Forty-five respondents from a variety of institutions and programs provided information on advising structures, resources utilized, student populations, and concerns. While programs may differ, many of the concerns regarding advising physiology students are the same.