The Field Health Professions

The term Health Professions represents a broad-spectrum of healthcare-related fields where highly trained clinical professionals engage in the delivery of laboratory discovery, research and patient care. Allied healthcare professionals work with physicians and other critical members of the healthcare team, performing laboratory tests that are used for the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Using sophisticated instruments and technology, and highly skilled manual techniques, allied health professionals are involved daily—either directly or indirectly—with patient care. All allied healthcare professionals are vital members of the medical team; therefore the ability to work as a team player is essential, as is the ability to work well under pressure.

Barry’s Allied Health Professions Program offers three different specialization options for those students interested in pursuing training as technologists after completing two years of preliminary study in Clinical Biology.

Histotechnology Specialization

Histotechnologists prepare samples of human or animal tissue for examination under the microscope in order to detect and diagnose disease. Histotechnologists use sophisticated processes including freezing, embedding, staining and cutting, to prepare the samples for examination.

Medical Technology Specialization

Medical technologists prepare and analyze samples of blood and other body fluids to aid in the detection and diagnosis of disease. Medical technologists perform tests in all sections of the laboratory including hematology, bacteriology, chemistry, urinalysis, serology, immunohematology, forensic pathology, immunology, and toxicology.

Nuclear Medicine Technology

Nuclear medicine technologists administer radiopharmaceuticals to patients and create diagnostic images by operating sophisticated cameras to monitor and map the radioactive drug in the patient’s body. Nuclear Medicine Technologists have direct patient contact.

Job Outlook

Allied health professionals have opportunities in a variety of areas including forensics, hospital pathology, medical research, pharmaceuticals, industrial labs, veterinary labs, marine biology and more. They can also work for government agencies, global health organizations, private industry and local hospitals. Currently there is a shortage of, and high demand for clinical laboratory technologists in the healthcare industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for skilled and credentialed technologists is expected to increase over the next few years.*

*[Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/]