What Is Allied Health?

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What is allied health

The industry of allied health is quite broad, and it includes a wide range of healthcare professionals who utilize their expertise to impact patients who need medical assistance.

If you’ve been wondering “What does allied health mean?” this is the article you need. For those who are just learning about the field, we’ve chronicled some key aspects below. Give them a look to discover some insights.

Allied Health Defined

First off, let’s define allied health. Allied health is defined as medical professionals who work to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and illnesses. They also apply management and administration skills to support health care systems, and apply scientific principles and evidence-based practices to assist patients.

Professions in Allied Health

There are a variety of occupations and roles within the healthcare industry for those with backgrounds in allied health. Most of these professionals work in clinics and hospitals alongside doctors. Others can work in rehabilitation or preventative care. Some allied health professionals include:

  • Audiologists
  • Speech and language pathologists
  • Physical therapists
  • Occupational therapists
  • Respiratory therapists
  • Imaging specialists (radiographers and sonographers)
  • Dental hygienists and assistants
  • EMTs and paramedics
  • Athletic trainers
  • Exercise physiologists
  • Health educators (asthma and diabetes educators)
  • Genetic counselors
  • Mental health counselors
  • Specialists in cancer diagnosis and treatment
  • Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors
  • Podiatric assistants
  • Home health aides
  • Pharmacy aides
  • Surgical technologists
  • Poetry therapists

Because the allied health definition is so broad and encompasses so many possibilities, the opportunities for professionals in this industry are incredibly diverse. Allied health is certainly a profession to pursue to give yourself options in the medical world.

The Kent State Allied Health Program

Now that you know what allied health is and the careers associated with it, it’s time to examine the Kent State Bachelor of Science in Public Health in Allied Health.

Our allied health concentration adds more depth to prior experience within clinical studies, and includes exposure to broad areas of public health such as epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, global health and health policy.

The demands of Kent State’s public health degree with the allied health concentration prepare students to thrive in the public health workforce, and the program seeks to magnify professionals’ and students’ career portfolios.

Best yet, Kent State offers this concentration both completely online and in person. This provides students with the greatest flexibility when pursuing their bachelor’s degree, letting them tailor their education to their schedule. The online program is an ideal alternative for students who cannot easily get to campus or have a busy schedule to maintain.

Why choose the online program?

  • It’s affordable
  • There are scholarships available
  • You’ll take award-winning public health courses
  • You can graduate in as few as 27 months
  • You’ll earn a practitioner-focused degree from a CEPH-accredited program

Check out more information on the online learning option!

Requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with an Allied Health Concentration

Ready to gain an allied health education? Apply to our program!

Students who are interested must currently hold or be actively pursuing a state licensure in the allied health field. Upon admission into the College of Public Health, students must submit their licensure or certification. As a result, they will be awarded 12 hours of upper division coursework.

The accepted Ohio licenses and certifications to apply to the Public Health Degree program include:

  • Chiropractic Board
  • Chemical Dependency Professionals Board
  • Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Board
  • Dental Board
  • Medical Board
  • Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board
  • Ohio Board of Dietetics
  • Ohio Board of Nursing
  • Orthodontics, Prostatitis and Periodontics Board
  • Pharmacy Board
  • Psychology Board
  • Respiratory Care Board
  • Sanitarian Board
  • Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Board

Read more on the specifics of the certifications on our homepage.

Visit Our Blog

Still curious about what allied health is? Want to learn more about the industry? Read up on our blog for even more information!

Here are some recent posts to check out:

Contact Us Today!

Check out the university catalog to read an overview of the major, university, and program requirements. If you’re interested in an undergraduate degree, minor or certification in Public Health, schedule an advising appointment.

Also, be sure to reach out with any questions you have. We’ll be in touch shortly. We look forward to hearing from you!