A member of a nonmedical profession whose functions traditionally include involvement in the prevention, treatment, or rehabilitation process. In psychiatry, examples include the psychiatric nurse, psychiatric social worker, clinical psychologist, neuropsychologist, occupational therapist, and art therapist.
A person with special training, working under the supervision of a health professional with responsibilities bearing on patient care.
Persons with special training in areas related to medicine such as medical social work, and physical or occupational therapy work with physicians or other related health care professionals.
A professional working in medicine who is not a doctor or nurse, e.g. a physiotherapist or paramedic.
A person who is not a physician, nurse, or pharmacist, and who works in the health field. An allied health professional may, for example, be a dietitian, an emergency medical technician, or an aide. Allied health professionals are sometimes called paraprofessionals or paramedical personnel. There are some 26 allied health professions for which educational standards have been developed. For a list of occupations for which programs have been accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA).
An individual who has received special training in an allied health field, such as clinical laboratory science, radiology, emergency medical services, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, medical assisting, athletic training, dental hygiene, or occupational therapy.