About Us

What is NAAHP?

The National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions is an organization of health professions advisors at colleges and universities throughout the United States, and abroad.

NAAHP was established in 1974 to coordinate the activities and efforts of four independent regional associations, so that health professions advisors across the nation could function together and speak with one voice. It has grown steadily from that beginning into an effective national clearing house for opinions of advisors and news from acupuncture and oriental medicine, allopathic medicine, athletic trainers, chiropractic, dental, health administration, naturopathic medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, podiatric medicine, public health, speech-language-hearing, and veterinary medicine. In addition, NAAHP has established partnerships with health professions schools and their organizations through advisor liaisons and an Advisory Council comprised of representatives from these organizations.

The success of NAAHP is directly dependent upon its four regional associations — Central (CAAHP), Northeast (NEAAHP), Southeast (SAAHP) and West (WAAHP) — from which it derives its strength and its membership. NAAHP encourages each regional group and each member to share more fully their experiences and information with other regions and advisors, and has given all advisors a nationally recognized forum in which to state their views and share their research studies through its quarterly publication, The Advisor.

Mission of NAAHP

The National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions serves as a resource for the professional development of health professions advisors.

It is a representative voice with health professions schools and their professional associations, undergraduate institutions, and other health professions organizations. The Association promotes high standards for health professions advising at universities and colleges. It assists advisors in fostering the intellectual, personal, and humanistic development of students as they prepare for careers in health professions.

Vision Statement

The vision of NAAHP is to become the premier organization educating and supporting health professions advisors. To achieve this vision, NAAHP will strengthen services by:

  • Providing a representative voice
  • Enhancing technological resources
  • Increasing awareness of diversity issues
  • Promoting excellence and integrity in the delivery of health professions advising

What makes NAAHP worthwhile?

Through its services, NAAHP gathers, sifts, and disseminates helpful information in a far more effective way than any individual advisor could do independently.

Through a unified voice, advisors can have an impact with health professions schools, associations, and application services by communicating the needs of advisors and their students.

NAAHP By-laws

The National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions maintains a bylaws document for structure and management of the association. To view the most recent edition of the guidelines, please click the link below.

NAAHP By-laws


Updated September 2022