Today, there is a significant need for healthcare professionals across disciplines and sectors as the world faces unprecedented health challenges and adopts innovative healthcare technologies. Despite this demand for a competent and eager healthcare workforce, the education and processes to becoming a qualified healthcare professional are complex and intricate, which may turn people away from this path due to confusion, fear, or doubt. In order to encourage and support those involved in medical education, further study on the best practices and challenges of developing confident and capable health professionals is required. The Handbook of Research on Developing Competencies for Pre-Health Professional Students, Advisors, and Programs provides insight into the critical skills and expertise essential for those interested in pursuing employment in healthcare as well as current procedures and training to support them during their academic and professional careers. Covering topics such as lifelong learning skills, healthcare professions, and strategic learning, this major reference work is crucial for advisors, nurses, healthcare professionals, academicians, researchers, practitioners, scholars, instructors, and students.

Despite significant demand for healthcare professionals in the workforce, admission to health professional graduate programs is highly competitive with less than half of all medical school applicants gaining admission annually. The application process is nuanced, complex, and costly, which can often be a significant barrier to otherwise highly qualified students, particularly those from backgrounds underrepresented in the healthcare workforce. Further understanding of the best practices in navigating the application processes, academia, and professional development is crucial for those advising pre-health students. The Handbook of Research on Advising and Developing the Pre-Health Professional Student considers current practices and research regarding academic and extracurricular preparation of undergraduate students who wish to enter health professions and offers new pre-health professional advisors as well as more seasoned advisors and other administrators a resource to assist them in their professional journey. Covering a range of topics such as advisor relationships and lifelong learning skills, this major reference work is ideal for advisors, healthcare professionals, academicians, researchers, practitioners, scholars, instructors, and students.