Allied Health Programs
Our Allied Health education programs provide training for individuals who want to work in healthcare, but not as doctors or nurses. These programs provide training across a wide range of healthcare-related fields, including medical imaging science, medical technology, clinical laboratory science/laboratory technology, and radiology technology. Students in these programs typically take classes in subjects such as anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and medical ethics, as well as receive hands-on training in a clinical setting. The lengths of these programs vary, but often can be completed in two to four years, and lead to an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, or to a certificate.
The goal of Allied Health education is to prepare graduates for entry-level positions in hospitals, clinics, private healthcare practices, and other healthcare settings. Graduates of our Allied Health programs are eligible to obtain licensure and take certification exams in their chosen field (as applicable) because our programs are all nationally accredited.
Degree Completion Programs (AA/AS to BS)
- Allied Health Technologies BSAHT: health science concentration (degree completion)
- Radiologic Technology BS (degree completion)
Preparation for certification as Clinical Laboratory Scientist (see CLS-ASCP background below)
Preparation for certification in sonography
- Medical Imaging Science BS: cardiovascular sonography and diagnostic medical sonography concentrations
Preparation for associate degree certification in radiography
Preparation for Physical Therapy Doctoral Degree
Your Next Step in Allied Health at FDU
| If this is your preparation … | … and this is your goal … | … this is your program |
|---|---|---|
| High school graduate including completion of appropriate high school courses. | Career in healthcare technologies within four years | Allied Health Technologies degrees at FDU |
| AS degree, typically as community college graduate | Career in healthcare technologies within two years | Transfer or degree completion in Allied Health Technologies |
| Registered radiologic technologist | Career mobility and advancement | Radiologic Technology BS (degree completion) |
Paths to CLS-ASCP Certification
FDU offers two four-year programs geared to qualifying for and passing the examination by the Board of Registry of the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) for the certification as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS-ASCP). These are the Clinical Laboratory Sciences BS and the Medical Technology BS. The fourth year of the Clinical Laboratory Sciences BS is 12-15 months of training at Rutgers School of Health Professions. The fourth year of the Medical Technology BS is the hospital-based internship at Valley Hospital in Bergen County or other approved hospital system. Both a hospital-based internship and the clinical training program at Rutgers SHP can provide appropriate preparation for the ASCP certification as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist. Both are competitive admissions programs.
The first three years of the Degree Plan for the two degrees are identical, and the courses can be taken on either NJ campus.
Hospital Internship (Medical Technology BS)
A hospital-based internship can offer hands-on experience in a clinical laboratory setting, allowing you to develop skills and knowledge under the guidance of experienced professionals. You may have the opportunity to rotate through different departments within the laboratory, gaining exposure to a variety of laboratory techniques and instrumentation. This experience can be particularly valuable if you are interested in pursuing a career in a specific area of laboratory medicine. Obviously the hospital-based experience, with rotations to multiple departments within the single hospital system, will familiarize the hospital with a prospective employee and vice versa.
University Training Program (Clinical Laboratory Sciences BS)
On the other hand, a clinical training program at Rutgers SHP can offer a more structured educational experience, with a curriculum designed to prepare you for the ASCP certification exam. You will learn from experienced faculty members and have access to resources such as lectures, laboratory simulations, and clinical rotations in multiple affiliated hospitals. This program can provide a more comprehensive understanding of laboratory medicine and prepare you for a wider range of career opportunities.
The Allied Health faculty at FDU will have at least anecdotal and sometimes statistical guidance about each program. Geography may also play a role in your preference. Valley Hospital is in northern Bergen County. Rutgers SHP’s main campus is at Rutgers-Newark.