subject: Canadian Allied Health Schools [print this page] If you are planning to attend an allied health school in Canada, you have many options to consider. First of all, you will need to consider what field of allied health you want to go into. The health degrees range from pharmacy technician to laboratory assistant to medical coder to dental assistant, and that is really just scratching the surface of career opportunities available in this field. Some schools offer health degrees in a broad range of subject areas, while others focus on just a small area of expertise to provide a more specialized education. Health majors in Canada can complete diploma and certificate programs, associates degrees and even bachelors degrees.
Many students are unwilling or unable to complete four-year health care programs for bachelors degrees, which is why certificate and associates degree programs are so beneficial for so many people. These programs focus more on specific health careers, so the student can get the precise skills they need to begin working in their chosen field. There are also programs in Canada that offer students a specialized education as well as a broader knowledge. Canadian students training for health careers as pharmacy technicians, for example, might specialize in intravenous nutrition support or chemotherapy. This can give the graduate a more competitive edge once they enter the job market.
Health programs in Canada include physical therapy, physiotherapy, pharmacy, medical administration, health care management, massage therapy, medical coding, medical billing, medical assisting and much, much more. In addition to problem-based learning methods, students may also complete internships in which they might work with patients or alongside other healthcare professionals in homes, clinics, hospitals and various community healthcare agencies. Hands-on experience must often be done outside the lab to be worthwhile.
There are nearly two million people currently working in various allied health careers in Canada. If you want to go to an allied health school, you will have hundreds of schools to choose from across the nation. Allied health degrees can open the door to satisfying careers if you enjoy helping patients while working with an extensive range of medical professionals.