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Presentations 1:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.

Advising through Academic Failure in the Health Sciences

Karin Hodge, Academic Advisor, University of Vermont College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Vanessa Santos Eugenio, Academic Advisor, University of Vermont College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Undergraduate students in the health sciences are driven and goal-oriented. Their identity, self-worth and confidence are often framed
by their academic achievements. Many have never earned grades below B prior to college admission. When these students experience
academic setbacks, the result can be debilitating; it can damage their self-concept, paralyze motivation, prevent program progression
or completion, and lengthen time to graduation. Failure is accompanied by overwhelming feelings of shame, guilt, and self-doubt.
Students and families may also bear a significant financial burden following academic failure. From an institutional perspective,
academic failure can negatively impact retention, four year graduation rates or credentialing exam pass rates.

The advisor’s role in supporting students through these events is complicated. Ultimately, advisors help students accept failure,
implement behavioral changes, recognize and leverage their strengths and access appropriate resources. Advisors play a significant
role in helping students build resilience, coaching them on how to frame failure and build the tools to move forward.

In our presentation, we will review several cases of academic failure, ranging from poor performance on an initial exam to program
dismissal. We will discuss how the specific failure affected the student’s academic life, and their overall health and well-being. We
will explain how advisors in our office worked with the students to create a path to success in their major or helped to identify a
new academic path. We will review the role of the advisor, define appropriate boundaries and provide strategies for setting those
boundaries. We will share approaches for helping students identify and leverage their own strengths to build confidence. We will
also discuss tips for identifying and addressing attributes or behaviors that may impact student success and suggest appropriate
interventions to prevent future failure.

With appropriate supports, academic failure in the health sciences can be perceived as a meaningful, but surmountable setback toward
graduation.