There are approximately 3 million health professionals compared to 600,000 doctors in the United States directly involved in patient care.

Source: Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions, 2003.

SHP Boasts:

• The Nations only master's level program in Diagnostic Medical Ultrasound
• Missouri's only doctoral level program in speech language pathology
• Central Missouri's only provider of neuropsychological and rehabilitation psychological services
• Full accreditation of seven programs
• Extremely high pass rates and scores on National Exams - Occupational Therapy Department has had 100% pass rate on national certification exams, 28 out of 30 years; consistently above national mean
• Formal international relationships with the University of Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
• Health Professions employment is expected to increase faster than the average, as growth in the number of individuals with disabilities or limited function spurs demand for therapy services (Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
• SHP Fall 2004-Winter 2005 graduates:
  • Ninety-eight (98%) of the HP undergraduates were employed, and of that number, 96% were employed in jobs related to their majors. (The average for MU undergraduates is 87%)
  • Eighty-six percent (86%) found employment in Missouri. (The average for MU undergraduates is 75%)
  • Twenty-eight percent (28%) of the graduates continued their education (i.e. graduate study). The average for MU is 22%
  • The response rate was 54% of all the HP graduates. (The overall response rate was 51% for all undergraduates)
    

Students and Alumni

• Enrollment Fall 2005:
  • Pre-professional Undergraduate Students: 395
  • Professional Undergraduate Students: 258
  • Graduate Students: 95
• 6300 Alumni
• 60 percent of all practicing graduates remain in Missouri;
  FY01= 82%, FY02= 78% FY03= FY04= 86%

Workforce Trends

• Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathologists, and Nuclear Medicine employment is expected to increase faster than the average, as growth in the number of individuals with disabilities or limited function spurs demand for therapy services (Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• Respiratory Therapist job opportunities will be very good, especially for therapists with cardiopulmonary care skills or experience working with newborns and infants (Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• Radiographer job opportunities are expected to be favorable; some employers report difficulty hiring sufficient numbers of radiologic technologists and technicians (Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor)
• Diagnostic Medical Ultrasound Sonographers should experience favorable job opportunities, as sonography becomes an increasingly attractive alternative to radiologic procedures (Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor)

Workforce Demand:
Aging Popluation, Complex Chronic Conditions, Expanded Scope of Practice, Medical and Technology Advances, Special Needs Populations Increasing

Workforce Supply:
Aging Workforce, Greater Competition for Best Students, Work Environments Stressful= Turnover, Salaries and Bonuses, National Shortage of Faculty

last updated 1-4-2007