An allied health degree will prepare you to provide either direct or indirect patient care. Therapists or technologists, and technicians or assistants, are the two main types of allied health professionals. Post-secondary education to post-doctoral studies are all available as degree programs. A bachelor’s degree in allied health can take anywhere from two to seven years to complete.
Therapists or technologists, and technicians or assistants, are the two main types of allied health professionals. The training and education required to become a technician is two years or less. These professionals have either a certificate or a degree from a higher education institution. Certified or licensed technicians work alongside technologists, therapists, physicians, and nurses, and must be supervised at all times.
Therapists and technologists, on the other hand, are typically self-employed and require more extensive training and a degree ranging from a bachelor’s to a doctorate. An additional two to five years of education and training is often required for therapists and technologists because they evaluate, develop treatment plans, and in some cases diagnose.
You must attend an accredited school to earn an allied health degree. The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Education Programs (CCAHEP) should provide accreditation. Attending an accredited school ensures that the quality of education received and the quality of educators teaching meet the standards for the health care profession, even if it is not required for some allied health careers. An accredited allied health degree also ensures that you will be eligible to sit for any certification or licensing exams required to practice your chosen profession.
To obtain an allied health degree, you must first research potential schools and decide on a major. Because there are so many allied health professions to choose from, your personal preferences are often a big factor in deciding which path to take. Allied health professionals can work in almost any aspect of healthcare, including veterinary studies, alternative medicine, and traditional settings like physical therapy and radiology.
Traditional campus-based higher learning institutions and distance learning venues both offer allied health degrees. You must meet the requirements of the school of your choice in order to obtain an allied health degree. You must meet the requirements of your chosen career in order to practice as an allied healthcare professional. To put it another way, some allied health professionals are required to obtain and maintain certification, whereas others are required to obtain and maintain licensure.