This year's Allied Health Week is November 5-11, 2023. According to the Association of Schools of Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP), allied health may be defined as those health professions that are distinct from medicine and nursing. In the U.S., there are about 9 million health care workers in over 200 allied health professional areas and represent about 60 percent of the health care workforce (excluding nursing, pharmacy, medicine, and dentistry). Allied health encompasses a broad group of health professionals who use scientific principles and evidence-based practice for the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of acute and chronic diseases. These health professionals also promote disease prevention and wellness for optimum health and apply administrative and management skills to support healthcare systems in a variety of settings. Allied health professionals include occupational therapists, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, physician assistants, medical laboratory technologists, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and emergency medical personnel (EMTs, paramedics).
Please join me in celebrating the outstanding achievements in teaching, research and scholarship, service, and patient care performed by the School of Health Professions faculty, students, and alumni.
David C. Shelledy, Ph.D., RRT, FAARC, FASAHP
Dean, School of Health Professions
UT Health San Antonio
More information about allied health may be found at www.asahp.org