CAREERS IN ALLIED HEALTH
KNR 164
WHY KINESIOLOGY FOR ALLIED HEALTH
SCIENCES PREP?

Kinesiology is the study of movements and
functions of human body








Dynamic anatomy
Biomechanics
Exercise physiology
Motor control, development, learning
Psychology
Sociology
With a physics and chemistry background
Broad base knowledge = application of concepts
for careers in health-related programs!
WANT TO BECOME A DOCTOR?





Very rewarding and honorable career
Lengthy and challenging education and training
(4 yrs college, 4 yrs med school,
3 or more yrs residency)
Selective process (two applicants for every one
medical school spot)
50% of med students are now women
Lifetime learning and maintenance of licensure
and certification is expected
WANT TO BE A NURSE?




With nationwide shortage of nurses,
many hospitals have openings and
offer educational assistance/hiring bonuses
More men are becoming nurses
Three major paths to becoming an RN (associate
degree, diploma, bachelors)
Advanced opportunities include nurse
practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse
anesthetist, and nurse-midwife
“OKAY, SO WHAT OTHER CHOICES
DO I HAVE FOR CAREERS IN THE HEALTH
CARE FIELD?”
HOW ABOUT ALLIED HEALTH?




There are approximately 200 recognized allied
health professions
Allied health professionals make up an estimated
60% of the US health care workforce
Almost all allied health professions are
experiencing shortages—many greater than
those in nursing
Seven of the top 10 fastest growing occupations,
according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics
BUT WHAT IS ALLIED HEALTH?



Allied health professionals are health care
practitioners with formal education and
clinical training who are credentialed
through certification, registration, and/or
licensure
Allied health practitioners work with physicians
and other members of the health care
team
Deliver high-quality patient care services for
identifying, preventing, and treating disease and
disabilities
THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY EVERYONE
WORKING IN HEALTH CARE OTHER THAN
DOCTORS AND NURSES!
ALLIED HEALTH IS BIG, VERY BIG
Allied Health Professions
30.4%
34.9%
Nursing aides, orderlies &
attendants
LPNs
RN's
9.5%
4.1%
16.0%
5.0%
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Physicians
Administrative, support
services
SOME ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONS
MAY BE FAMILIAR TO YOU . . .
Laboratory technician
 Radiologic technologist
 MRI Tech
 Surg/OR tech
 Physical therapist
 Physician assistant
 Dental hygienist
 Dietitian

AND SOME MAY NOT . . .
Art therapist
 Nuclear medicine technologist
 Cytopathology technologist
 Dosimetrist
 Cardiovascular technologist
 Health information administrator
 Recreational therapist
 Cancer Tumor Registrar

OKAY, HOW DO I CHOOSE WHICH
CAREER IS RIGHT FOR ME?

Consider:
length of education
 Salary
 job duties
 current/future staffing needs


And think about your interests and your personality
type. For example:
THESE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES.
THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE!
Audiologist/speech language pathologist
 Dental assistant
 Diagnostic medical sonographer
 Emergency medical technician-paramedic
 Medical assistant
 Phlebotomist
 Polysomnographic technologist
 Radiation therapist/radiographer
 Respiratory therapist
 Surgical assistant
 Physician assistant

WHAT IS A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT?

According to the American Association of
Physician Assistants’ : Physician Assistants are
health care professionals licensed to practice
medicine with physician supervision. PAs
are educated in the medical model designed to
complement physician training.
(www.aapa.org)
ROLE OF THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
Obtain a complete history and physical exam,
including hearing, vision, pelvic and rectal exams
 Perform pre-operative physical exams and preseason sports physical exams
 Order, perform and interpret specialized tests
such as blood work and x-rays
 Diagnose and treat illnesses
 Counsel on preventative health care
 Assist in surgery, including suturing

ROLE OF PAS CONTINUED…
Monitor the effectiveness of treatment
 Monitor patients in the hospital
 Write and change orders in the chart per
supervising physician
 In most states, except Indiana and Ohio, PAs can
write prescriptions
 Be accessible to the patient in regards to any
questions they may have

PA PROGRAMS
Program is 24 months full time with several breaks
(~2-3 years)

10 months of basic classes, anatomy,
pharmacology, skills lab and shadowing/residency

12 months clinical rotations: Primary Care, Derm,
ER, Ortho, CT surgery, Psych, you have choices


2 months of review for the board exam
Certification test!!
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT CERTIFICATION:




134 accredited PA programs
A PA must pass a national certification exam:
PA-C
Must re-certify every 6 yrs by retaking the recertification test
Must obtain 100 Continuing Medical Education
(CME) units every 2 years to maintain
certification: Conferences!