Allied health professionals are super important like those people who help doctors and nurses but they’re not doctors themselves, they do things like lab work, therapy, dietetics, radiology and more. Schools that teach these jobs need to follow program standards so that when you finish you can get certified or licensed, and everyone knows you learned the right stuff. Accreditation is like a quality check it ensures education meets certain rules from national agencies. Certification tells you have the skills, license means you’re officially allowed to work in your state, which often depends on going to an accredited program.
Accrediting Agencies & Why They Matter
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) checks over 2,200 programs in many health science disciplines to assure they meet professional standards. Accredited programs help students become certified or licensed, ensure programs have valid curriculum and training.
Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) is another key body, recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. It accredits private allied health programs like medical assistant, surgical tech, lab tech, and others.
Program Standards & Educational Requirements
Programs are evaluated on specific standards: curriculum content, instructor qualifications, clinical experience, student outcomes. These “standards” are created with professionals in each field to match what’s needed in real jobs.
Health education at the K-12 or teacher-prep level follows national standards like those from SHAPE America. In Illinois for example from Oct 1 2024, any candidate for Health Education endorsement must complete a program aligned with the 2018 Standards for Initial Health Education Teacher Education.
Certifications & Licenses
Many allies health jobs require national or state certification after completing an accredited program. Without that you might not sit for exams or get hired.
The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) offers NCCA-accredited certifications across many allied health fields like pharmacy tech, medical assisting, phlebotomy. Their credentials are recognized nationwide.
Career Pathways & Resources
Allied health fields offer many career paths: medical assisting, diagnostics, therapy, nutrition, public/community health, lab tech etc. Schools like Santa Fe Community College offer certificates and associate degrees that align with these paths.
Resource tools like AlliedCareer from EBSCOlearning help you explore allied health professions, see required schooling, jobs, salaries.
Programs like AHPE3 provide exposure, experience, mentoring especially for underrepresented students in allied fields.
Choosing the Right School or Program
| Criteria | Why It’s Important |
|---|---|
| Programmatic accreditation (CAAHEP, ABHES etc) | Needed for certification exams, widely respected by employers |
| Curriculum & clinical labs | Hands-on experience builds real skills |
| Faculty credentials & evaluation | Teachers who know their field better teach you the right way |
| Career services & outcomes data | Keeps you informed on jobs and success rates |
| State licensure & local employer recognition | Ensures you’ll be eligible to work where you want |
Next Steps for Students
First check the agency: go to CAAHEP’s “Find an Accredited Program” tool to search programs per discipline.
Next understand what certification and licensing are required in your intended role and state. That guides what you study. Use resources like UConn Allied Health for profession specific requirements.
Make sure you view course maps and degree requirements in schools, see what clinical or internship hours are needed. Talk with advisors.
Finally budget for school costs and financial aid. Accredited programs tend to make students eligible for federal financial aid.
Useful Links
To learn more about allied health accreditation see the CAAHEP site or the ABHES site. For exploring real careers try AlliedCareer from EBSCOlearning.
Some content on this site may be generated or assisted by artificial intelligence and reviewed by human editors. Information is provided for general purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We make no warranties regarding accuracy, completeness or suitability, and users should seek independent professional advice where appropriate.