The Role of PPH Advising
As a Pre-Professional Health (PPH) student, you have the support of a full academic advising team: one advisor for your major and another advisor for your declared PPH Minor. If you have additional majors, minors, or are a varsity student-athlete, then it is likely you will have additional advisor support (you may view your full advising team in MyMadison).
Advising for students planning to apply to graduate health profession programs involves more than just selecting the right courses. PPH Advisors help students plan for clinical experiences, service opportuntities, required standardized tests, program selection, and navigating the graduate admissions processes.
The PPH advising office is located in the Student Success Center, on the 4th floor Advising Hub (suite 4041). We encourage you meet with your assigned PPH advisor early and often during your undergraduate career at JMU. To schedule a meeting, click on an adivsor profile below.

Sharon Babcock, PhD
Director of PPH Advising, Pre-Medicine, Pre-Dentistry

Katie Fisher, MS
Pre-Medicine, Pre-Physician Assistant, Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Louise Gilchrist, PT, PhD
Pre-Physical Therapy, Pre-Occupational Therapy, Pre-Athletic Training

Mary Hildebrand, RPh
Pre-Pharmacy

Jeff Andre, PhD
Pre-Optometry
Dawn Wyvill
Professional Administrative Assistant
Madison Advising Peers (MAPs)
In addition to academic advisors of record, JMU also has peer advisors that are part of your advising team. MAPs are fellow students that work in conjunction with faculty advisors to provide supplemental academic advising information and assist JMU undergraduate students who have general advising questions. The MAPs that specialize in supporting PPH students.
Fall 2023 MAP Drop-In Hours
Tuesday: 8:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Friday: 12:15 PM - 2:30 PM
PPH MAPs are available for both in-person and virtual drop-ins.
For in-person sessions, students may schedule in advance or drop-in to PPHA offices located in Student Success Center on the fourth floor (Suite 4041).
Schedule an in-person meeting or check available drop-in times here!
For a virtual drop in, follow these instructions:
- After scheduling a Virtual MAP appointment, you will immediately receive an email with a link to the MAP's Zoom Room.
- When you’re ready, log in to the virtual “waiting room” and the available MAP will begin the session.
- If you are in the waiting room for longer than a minute, it may be that the MAP is wrapping up a previous session – hang tight!