What is Allied Health?: Allied Health Sciences Major

Links to career exploration sites:

www.explorehealthcareers.org

www.asahp.org  (asahp = Association of Schools for Allied Health Professions)

www.healthpronet.org  (Health Professions Network)

www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/home.html  (National Health Service)

Description:

Allied Health Practitioners are health professionals who provide ancillary medical services in various health care setting and support physicians in the overall care of the patient.

• Level of training varies with Allied Health profession (Certificate, Associates, Bachelors, Masters, Advanced degree).
• Most Allied Health professions require licensure or credentialing following completion of an accredited program.
• Health Careers span the continuum of Social/Behavioral to Medical Sciences.
• Level of patient contact varies by career. For example:
  • High patient contact – Dietetics, Health Promotion, Public Health, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Cardio-pulmonary Care, Doctor, Dentist, Physician Assistant
  • Moderate patient contact – Radiography, Sonography
  • Low patient contact – Laboratory professions such as Medical Technology, Cytogenetics, Medical Diagnostics

Work Settings: below is a list of health care environments but does not constitute a complete list

• Clinical - hospitals, physicians’ offices, reference laboratories, short and long-term care facilities
• Community - local, state and federal agencies or laboratories
• Management & Supervision – health departments, hospital administration
• Business - sales, marketing
• Education - teaching, directing or coordinating health programs and services
• Research - product development, pharmaceuticals, food products, cancer
• Industry - equipment development, technical representative
• Consultant - physician’s office, health care facilities
• International - Peace Corps, governmental and non-governmental agencies
  

Skills:

• Caring/ Compassionate/ Trustworthy/ Confidential/ Professional
• Good oral and written communication: Effective communication and documentation of services is vital.
• Team member: Health care professionals work with others to provide services and care for patients
• Technically minded: Many professionals work with technology and computerized equipment