South Dakota Mines Program Coordinator Named to NAAHP-Leads Cohort

RAPID CITY, SD (Oct. 26, 2023) - Johnica Winter, Ph.D., program coordinator for the Department of Nanoscience & Biomedical Engineering at South Dakota Mines (SDM), has been accepted to the most recent NAAHP-Leads cohort for the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP).

NAAHP is an organization devoted to supporting those who advise pre-health students, an organization of which Winter has been a member since2018. NAAHP-Leads is a professional development program designed to help pre-health advisors gain leadership skills to better support students entering health professions. Winter is heavily involved in advising students within the Department of Nanoscience & Biomedical Engineering who want to pursue careers in healthcare and need help applying to programs in medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, and others.

Winter says she is excited about the opportunity to participate in NAAHP-Leads and about applying what she learns to her work at SDM. The NAAHP-Leads program involves a year-long engagement in activities such as self-reflection assignments, group discussions about leadership, and a capstone project.

“One of the things that I am most interested in learning is how to develop my skills as an advocate because there are many things that pre-health students need to be successful in going into these critically needed careers as healthcare professionals,” Winter says. Her goal is for her biomedical engineering (BME) students to have the resources that they need to be successful in applying and being accepted into competitive programs.

“It's all about the students for me,” Winter says. “That's where it starts and ends. Through my involvement in NAAHP, I've found new ways to help students on this career path and being part of NAAHP-Leads will help me to continue to grow my skills in advising the BME students who want to go into health professions.”

Some of the skills that Winter has developed for supporting her students include assisting students in identifying the right career path within the healthcare field, helping them find opportunities for professional development through shadowing, clinical experiences, and volunteerism, and supporting them through getting ready for entrance exams, navigating the application process, and preparing for interviews.

“It's really rewarding to be a part of that epic journey, and if you ever have a chance to work with a pre-health student and see that progression over time, you can't help but become invested in their success,” she says.

In addition to her acceptance into this year's NAAHP-Leads cohort, Winter has been named the Editor-in-Chief for the NAAHP In the Know blog, where she oversees operations and an editorial team. She also serves as the assistant treasurer for the Central Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (CAAHP), a regional division of NAAHP.

“Many of our students aspire to careers in medical fields. Dr. Winter's dedication to ensuring they are prepared to meet the requirements of professional healthcare programs is why our students get accepted and become successful doctors, dentists, pharmacists and veterinarians,” said President Jim Rankin, Ph.D, P.E.