Allied Health Career Requirements

Requirements for Selected Allied Health Careers

Following are the educational, testing, certification, and licensing requirements for selected allied health professions.

Allied Health Profession Educational
Requirements		 Testing, Certification,
& Licensing Requirements		 Other
Athletic Trainer Bachelor's degree or higher.
  • Licensing: Licensing or registration required in 46 states (as of 2006).
  • Certification: Most states recognize BOC certification as one of their standards.
  • Testing: BOC certification requires passing of a test.
 Degree must be from from an accredited college or university.
Dental Assistant High school degree required followed by specialized dental assistant training in a program that typically lasts approximately 1 year and leads to a certificate or a diploma.
  • Licensing: Varies substantially from state to state. Most States regulate the dental assistant duties. Some States require licensing or registration. Some states require a written or practical examination. Some states require dental assistants to complete state-approved education courses.
  • Certification: Certification is available through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). It is recognized and/or required in more than 30 States.
  • Testing: Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) exam required by the Dental Assisting National Board to become certified. It has 3 components: General Chairside, Infection Control, and Radiation Health and Safety.
 Look for dental-assisting training programs approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation within the American Dental Association (ADA)
Dental Hygienist High school diploma is required. Most dental hygienist programs grant an associate's degree and take about 2 years to complete. For many dental hygienist programs college entrance test scores are required for admission. Look for a dental hygiene program that is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Diagnostic medical sonographers may receive their training from hospitals, vocational-technical institutions, 2- and 4-year colleges and universities, and the Armed Forces. These programs can culminate in certificates, associate's degrees, and bachelor's degrees.
  • Licensing: No state licenses diagnostic medical sonographers.
  • Certification: Voluntary certification may be obtained from the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).
  • Testing: In addition to specific educational and professional experience requirements, ARDMS certification also has testing requirements.
 Accredited programs by accreditation boards recognized by the U.S. Department of Education are necessary to obtain federal financial aid.
Massage Therapist Requirements vary substantially from state to state but specialized education beyond high school of at least 500 hours is common. 500 hours of training is required to become certified (along with other requirements).
  • Licensing: All but 2 states (Indiana and Massachusetts) require licensing and/or certification. Regulations are pending in the 2 remaining states.
  • Certification: Available from the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB). Maintaining certification has practice requirements and continuing education requirements.
  • Testing: Some states require passing of a state exam. Others (over 30 states) require passing the NCETMB (National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork) from the NCBTMB.
 Look for programs accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA).
Medical Assistant High school diploma and specialized postsecondary education from vocational-technical high schools, postsecondary vocational schools, and community and junior colleges. Programs may last 1 year and result in a certificate or a diploma, or 2 years and result in an associate's degree.
  • Licensing: There are currently no licensing requirements.
  • Certification: Certification is voluntary but preferred by many employers. Certification is offered by:
  • Testing: All of the various certification credentials require passing a test.
 Look for programs accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).

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