Biola Office of Health Professions Advising

If a healthcare career piques your interest, Biola University invites you to connect with our Office of Health Professions Advising to explore the many undergraduate majors available to prepare students for service in the medical field. Biola has had tremendous success in recent years in providing students the educational foundation necessary for work in the health professions. Spend some time with the Biola Office of Health Professions Advising (BOHPA) and find out how it can help you prepare for your medical future!

Mission and Vision

director advising student in office

Mission Statement

BOHPA’s mission is to develop and strengthen pre-health students to serve as future health professionals who impact the world for Christ.

Vision Statement

BOHPA will play a key role in ensuring that every pre-health student at Biola is equipped and inspired to carry out their calling in the health professions.

BOHPA achieves these goals through:

Extensive health career and graduate school advising by faculty advisors
Mentoring students for clinical shadowing experiences
Facilitating workshops, health-related guest speaker events, and service opportunities to prepare students for future healthcare calling
Coordinating events with the Health Careers Club and Career Development

Meet the Director

Dr. Harvey Havoonjian graduated from medical school at UCLA and he is the Founding Director of the Biola Office of Health Professions Advising. He’s an active member of the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP) and is dedicated to helping a growing number of pre-health students throughout our campus competitively achieve their health career goals and dreams. He advises pre-health students pursuing all fields within medicine and healthcare, and works year-round to serve students in fulfilling the mission of BOHPA at Biola University.

Meet the Director

Our BOHPA Advisors

Hyuna Lee

Dr. Hyuna Lee, Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from UC Irvine, is a member of the BOHPA faculty advising team and has faithfully served many students through health career advising in recent years. She’s a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences and serves as the PI of the Zebrafish Neuroscience research lab that has significant student research involvement. She has a passion for linking the foundations of health science to the caring and compassionate care of patients in all future health professionals.

Dana Johnson

Dr. Dana Johnson is the Chair of Chemistry at Biola University and is an experienced health career advisor within BOHPA. He is an expert in organic/inorganic chemistry and biochemistry subject matter as it pertains to admissions testing content (including the MCAT and other required admissions exams) for graduate health professional programs. Dr. Johnson makes personal and lasting connections with students as they navigate their individual journeys towards future health careers.

Kristianna Altamirano

Professor Altamirano is a faculty member in the Department of Kinesiology and Public Health (KPH) and is a highly sought-after health career advisor within the BOHPA team. She specializes in advising for the career fields of physical therapy, public health, occupational therapy and athletic training, as well as broader career pursuits of majors within KPH. Professor Altamirano has significant practical and career insights into these fields and helps students with all aspects of their preparations for successful health professional careers.

In college, it is easy to be overly focused on the immediate or short term present, but preparation for the future is important for students make the most of their undergraduate years. BOHPA was helpful to consider future careers, acting as a designated space with organized opportunities to think through different careers.

Read More About Faith’s Experience

“In college, it is easy to be overly focused on the immediate or short term present, but preparation for the future is important for students make the most of their undergraduate years. BOHPA was helpful to consider future careers, acting as a designated space with organized opportunities to think through different careers. Although I had a good idea of what I wanted to do, information and perspectives shared at meetings or individual advising helped me plan out steps for the future but also expanded my understanding of the working world. Although I couldn’t attend all meetings, post-meeting conversations helped me learn how to “network” by talking with and forming questions for speakers. Even hearing other peers’ questions gave me new topics to consider. Dr. Harvey also gave me a chart and asked good questions that helped me consider and compare different graduate programs. For those even slightly interested in health careers, I would recommend going to at least one meeting and advising session.”

Faith Choi
Current Student

BOHPA supported me in my journey towards being a PA every step of the way. Ever since freshman year, I received one-on-one support from a BOHPA advisor every semester throughout my undergraduate career.

Read More About Bianca’s Experience

“BOHPA supported me in my journey towards being a PA every step of the way. Ever since freshman year, I received one-on-one support from a BOHPA advisor every semester throughout my undergraduate career. From the start I knew what steps I needed to take and when to take them in order to make my dream of becoming a PA come true. I met with Dr. Harvey each semester to check in with him and make sure I was on the right track and taking the right steps so that I could be ready to apply to PA school after graduation. His support was well worth it because I am now in the middle of interviewing with several PA schools across the US. Not only did I receive personalized support from advisors, but I got to be a part of Health Careers Club. HCC supported me in my journey towards becoming a PA by giving me the opportunity to hear from Biola Alumni who are now PAs and by hearing about the roles of other healthcare professionals.”

Bianca Gaitan-Ochoa
Current Physician Assistant student at Touro University

Before I transferred to Biola, I underwent a very poor community college experience in which I had received almost no professional academic advice for over two years. I felt left behind — but that all changed when I came to Biola.

Read More About Tyler’s Experience

“Before I transferred to Biola, I underwent a very poor community college experience in which I had received almost no professional academic advice for over two years. I felt left behind — but that all changed when I came to Biola. Before I even arrived on campus, I had already received expert guidance from BOHPA faculty, and Dr. Kit specifically tailored my classes for my unique situation. When I later felt overwhelmed in my first semester and nearly dropped critical classes, I reached out to Dr. Kit, and the personal guidance I received from him helped me right the ship and stick the landing. Merely by virtue of having a pre-healthcare major, I felt like I was being mentored by BOHPA. Ever since, other BOHPA faculty like Dr. Harvey and Marisa have continually gone out of their way to ensure that I never feel left behind, that I have detailed knowledge of the paths available to me, and that I can network and experience opportunities that I never dreamed possible. My advice to new students: always ask for help, for you shall always receive — and then some!”

Tyler Jones
Current Student (Major: Health Sciences, Pre-Health Care Professional Concentration)

As a pre-med student, I have often found myself overwhelmed by all the requirements for medical school, especially my freshman year. But from the beginning, BOHPA was very helpful.

Read More About Knox’s Experience

“As a pre-med student, I have often found myself overwhelmed by all the requirements for medical school, especially my freshman year. But from the beginning, BOHPA was very helpful. My initial experience with BOHPA consisted of meetings with Dr. Harvey, who is always very helpful and encouraging. Meeting with him helped me understand the road to medical school much better, as well as confidently make plans for how to follow that road one step at a time. I have also enjoyed and benefited greatly from many of the guest speaker seminars that BOHPA has helped set up (alongside the HCC). BOHPA provides many great resources, and my biggest piece of advice to any new pre-health majors is to make use of all those resources!”

Knox Covington
Current Student

In college, it is easy to be overly focused on the immediate or short term present, but preparation for the future is important for students make the most of their undergraduate years. BOHPA was helpful to consider future careers, acting as a designated space with organized opportunities to think through different careers.

Read More About Faith’s Experience

“In college, it is easy to be overly focused on the immediate or short term present, but preparation for the future is important for students make the most of their undergraduate years. BOHPA was helpful to consider future careers, acting as a designated space with organized opportunities to think through different careers. Although I had a good idea of what I wanted to do, information and perspectives shared at meetings or individual advising helped me plan out steps for the future but also expanded my understanding of the working world. Although I couldn’t attend all meetings, post-meeting conversations helped me learn how to “network” by talking with and forming questions for speakers. Even hearing other peers’ questions gave me new topics to consider. Dr. Harvey also gave me a chart and asked good questions that helped me consider and compare different graduate programs. For those even slightly interested in health careers, I would recommend going to at least one meeting and advising session.”

Faith Choi
Current Student

BOHPA supported me in my journey towards being a PA every step of the way. Ever since freshman year, I received one-on-one support from a BOHPA advisor every semester throughout my undergraduate career.

Read More About Bianca’s Experience

“BOHPA supported me in my journey towards being a PA every step of the way. Ever since freshman year, I received one-on-one support from a BOHPA advisor every semester throughout my undergraduate career. From the start I knew what steps I needed to take and when to take them in order to make my dream of becoming a PA come true. I met with Dr. Harvey each semester to check in with him and make sure I was on the right track and taking the right steps so that I could be ready to apply to PA school after graduation. His support was well worth it because I am now in the middle of interviewing with several PA schools across the US. Not only did I receive personalized support from advisors, but I got to be a part of Health Careers Club. HCC supported me in my journey towards becoming a PA by giving me the opportunity to hear from Biola Alumni who are now PAs and by hearing about the roles of other healthcare professionals.”

Bianca Gaitan-Ochoa
Current Physician Assistant student at Touro University

Before I transferred to Biola, I underwent a very poor community college experience in which I had received almost no professional academic advice for over two years. I felt left behind — but that all changed when I came to Biola.

Read More About Tyler’s Experience

“Before I transferred to Biola, I underwent a very poor community college experience in which I had received almost no professional academic advice for over two years. I felt left behind — but that all changed when I came to Biola. Before I even arrived on campus, I had already received expert guidance from BOHPA faculty, and Dr. Kit specifically tailored my classes for my unique situation. When I later felt overwhelmed in my first semester and nearly dropped critical classes, I reached out to Dr. Kit, and the personal guidance I received from him helped me right the ship and stick the landing. Merely by virtue of having a pre-healthcare major, I felt like I was being mentored by BOHPA. Ever since, other BOHPA faculty like Dr. Harvey and Marisa have continually gone out of their way to ensure that I never feel left behind, that I have detailed knowledge of the paths available to me, and that I can network and experience opportunities that I never dreamed possible. My advice to new students: always ask for help, for you shall always receive — and then some!”

Tyler Jones
Current Student (Major: Health Sciences, Pre-Health Care Professional Concentration)

As a pre-med student, I have often found myself overwhelmed by all the requirements for medical school, especially my freshman year. But from the beginning, BOHPA was very helpful.

Read More About Knox’s Experience

“As a pre-med student, I have often found myself overwhelmed by all the requirements for medical school, especially my freshman year. But from the beginning, BOHPA was very helpful. My initial experience with BOHPA consisted of meetings with Dr. Harvey, who is always very helpful and encouraging. Meeting with him helped me understand the road to medical school much better, as well as confidently make plans for how to follow that road one step at a time. I have also enjoyed and benefited greatly from many of the guest speaker seminars that BOHPA has helped set up (alongside the HCC). BOHPA provides many great resources, and my biggest piece of advice to any new pre-health majors is to make use of all those resources!”

Knox Covington
Current Student

In college, it is easy to be overly focused on the immediate or short term present, but preparation for the future is important for students make the most of their undergraduate years. BOHPA was helpful to consider future careers, acting as a designated space with organized opportunities to think through different careers.

Read More About Faith’s Experience

“In college, it is easy to be overly focused on the immediate or short term present, but preparation for the future is important for students make the most of their undergraduate years. BOHPA was helpful to consider future careers, acting as a designated space with organized opportunities to think through different careers. Although I had a good idea of what I wanted to do, information and perspectives shared at meetings or individual advising helped me plan out steps for the future but also expanded my understanding of the working world. Although I couldn’t attend all meetings, post-meeting conversations helped me learn how to “network” by talking with and forming questions for speakers. Even hearing other peers’ questions gave me new topics to consider. Dr. Harvey also gave me a chart and asked good questions that helped me consider and compare different graduate programs. For those even slightly interested in health careers, I would recommend going to at least one meeting and advising session.”

Faith Choi
Current Student

Health Professions

Explore the various jobs in healthcare below for an overview and learn more about the benefits of pursuing a health profession major at Biola University. For professional advising, contact BOHPA@biola.edu for an appointment.

Physician - MD

Physician - DO

Registered Nurse / Advanced Practice Nurse

Physician Assistant

Physical Therapist

Occupational Therapist

Pharmacist

Podiatrist

Chiropractor

Dentist

Optometrist

Speech-Language Pathologist

Audiologist

Veterinarian

Athletic Trainer