What is Health Science and Allied Health?

Often when we think of health care, we think of doctors and nurses, but there is a whole team of professionals that are essential in health care. Hello, I am Anne Bisup, Interim Dean of the School of Health Science here at Central Penn College. I've been a registered nurse for over 35 years and I'm currently finishing up my dissertation to obtain my PhD in nursing education. So what is health science and allied health? The School of Health Science at Central Penn houses a variety of programs. There are currently two bachelor's programs, health care management for those with an associate's degree looking to enter management, and the second is a bachelor of health science designed for those who want to continue their education in a variety of areas including doctor of physical therapy, doctor of occupational therapy, physician assistants, and many more. Allied health professionals include medical assistants, occupational therapy assistants, and physical therapy assistants, phlebotomists, and others. Currently at Central Penn, we offer all four of those programs and have expanded our PTA and MA programs to our Lancaster Center. All of these programs provide students with real-world experience through not only practice and competencies done in the lab, but also through extensive internships where students have the opportunity to work in their field under the guidance of practicing professionals. All of our programs are accredited by their professional organizations to ensure that everyone gets a high-quality education that allows our students to develop into professional practitioners in their field. Health care is a very fluid environment and is something that everyone needs. Hospitals are always looking for staff in all of these departments and as older practitioners retire, new ones are needed. Remember that we always need health care workers. The health science and allied health programs here at Central Penn are some of the best in the nation. They will challenge you. They are rigorous. But I can personally assure you that when you graduate, you will have learned everything a novice practitioner needs to know for employment and to pass the certifying board exams. Central Penn is a small college with small class sizes. Our faculty are dedicated to ensuring that our students get the best education they can, support every student throughout this process, and provide you with the tools needed to succeed both in college and in the future. Here at Central Penn, we can do this together.