Facts About Allied Health Professionals
Approximately one third of the nation's health-care workforce comprises allied health professionals. Community colleges educate the majority (63%) of these workers.
Allied health careers include, but are not limited to, professionals practicing in the following areas: dental hygiene, dietetics or nutrition, emergency medical services, health information management, clinical laboratory sciences and medical technology, cytotechnology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, radiologic technology, nuclear medical technology, rehabilitation counseling, respiratory therapy, speech-language pathology, and audiology.
Many allied health professionals educated in two- and four-year programs (e.g., respiratory therapists and radiographers) pass the same licensure exam and share the same scope of practice.
Key allied health professions are experiencing workforce shortages, including radiographers (18% vacancy), medical imagers (15.3% vacancy), and pharmacy technicians (12.7% vacancy).
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