Allied Health

Which Allied Health Path Interests You?

• Medical assistants provide support to doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals with routine administrative and clinical duties. A 160-hour externship working in a medical office is required for certification.
• Nursing assistants work under the direct supervision of a registered nurse to perform basic nursing duties and assist patients with their daily health care needs. Certification requires completion of 40 hours in a skilled nursing facility.
• Phlebotomists collect blood from finger sticks or with a needle from veins or arteries, verify patient information, label specimen vials, and submit specimens for further processing or testing. Phlebotomy technician training requires completion of 120 hours in a clinical laboratory setting.
• Medical laboratory assistants collect and process patient specimens — urine, blood, cultures, etc. — to assist with diagnosis. Certification requires students be at least 18 years of age and complete a minimum of 150 hours in a clinical laboratory setting.
• Medical coding and billing specialists provide diagnostic and procedural coding and billing services in settings such as clinics, physician offices, hospitals, managed care organizations, and private billing or insurance companies.
• Patient care technicians work alongside doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals in providing direct patient care in a variety of settings. They perform personal care to complex patients and implement portions of a care plan, such as respiratory and rehabilitation services, EKG, and phlebotomy, under the supervision of a registered nurse.
• Radiologic technologists specialize in x-ray and other diagnostic imaging examinations on patients.