Allied health professionals are a group of healthcare professionals who provide a range of diagnostic, technical, therapeutic, and support services in connection with healthcare. They are concerned with the identification, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment of acute and chronic diseases and disorders, provision of dietary and nutrition services, rehabilitation services, and the management and operation of health systems. Allied health professionals apply scientific principles and evidence-based practice to optimize patient or client outcomes.
There are over 80 career paths in allied health professions, including but not limited to:
- Anesthesiologist assistant
- Athletic trainer
- Audiologist
- Cardiovascular technologist
- Cytotechnologist
- Diagnostic medical sonographer
- Dietitian
- Medical technologist
- Nuclear medicine technologist
- Occupational therapist
- Occupational therapy assistant
- Occupational therapist aide
- Ophthalmic medical assistant
- Optometric assistant and technician
- Paraoptometrician
- Orthotist and prosthetist
- Orthoptist
- Orthotic and prosthetic technician
- Physical therapist
- Physical therapist assistant
- Radiographer
- Respiratory therapist
- Speech-language pathologist
Allied health professionals work together with a range of technical and support staff to deliver direct patient care, rehabilitation, treatment, diagnostics, and health improvement interventions to restore and maintain optimal physical, sensory, psychological, cognitive, and social functions.
