.png)
Students in the College of Health engage challenging and contemporary curricula under the direction of highly skilled and nationally-recognized faculty. All programs in the COH are nationally accredited and graduates across all programs boast high employment/placement rates. College of Health graduates are highly regarded by their employers; many have become prominent leaders in their fields.
Academic programs within the College of Health represent some of the fastest growing occupations across the nation. Visit these programs' websites and learn why the College of Health has become a destination site for students pursuing careers in the allied health professions.
School of Nursing
School of Nursing
Professional nursing is educative, facilitative, and caring. Professional nursing practice is grounded in sound scientific and humanistic knowledge formed from a complex and diverse field of study. Furthermore, nursing practice is a collaborative endeavor, which promotes health and wellness in a variety of ways and settings. Nurses administer healing arts and support families through normative and tragic transitions. Professional nurses use knowledge integration from theories, research and practice to plan and deliver holistic client care. Decision-making, teaching-learning, research, therapeutic communication, and critical thinking processes are used by professional nurses.
School of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences
School of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences
The shared mission of the School of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences (SRCS) is to advance the overall missions of Idaho State University and the Kasiska Division of Health Sciences by educating current and future rehabilitation and communication science professionals. The SRCS fosters interprofessional academic and clinical experiences for the faculty and students to promote excellence in providing collaborative evidence-based practice, and ethical patient/client-centered care. We serve the state of Idaho and the world by providing innovative, accessible learning experiences via on-site, distance and online courses, graduating knowledgeable, accomplished professionals, and influencing future professional practice through our vital contributions to research and creative scholarly activities.
Community and Public Health
Community and Public Health
Each of the programs offered by the Department of Community and Public Health prepares students in health occupations with projected job growth as organizations and communities recognize the need for better programs, data-informed decision-making, healthcare, and environments that foster healthy people and communities. Our degree programs include master's degrees in Health Education (MHE), Health Informatics (MSHI), and Public Health (MPH). In addition, we offer an undergraduate degree in Community and Public Health with emphasis areas in Community/Worksite Wellness, Addiction Studies, and School Health. Our academic certificate offerings include a graduate certificate in Public Health, and an undergraduate Community Health Worker certificate. Both of these certificate programs have reduced credits for focused training and can be completed in-person or online.
Counseling
Counseling
The principle mission of the Department of Counseling is to prepare quality counselors for various settings in Idaho and the nation. More specifically, we seek to prepare quality School Counselors for public schools in K-12 settings, Marital, Couple and Family Counselors, Clinical Mental Health Counselors, and Clinical Rehabilitation Counselors for community agencies and other mental health settings, and Student Affairs Counselors for working in college settings such as advising, residence halls, and career centers.
We prepare doctoral level counselor educators and supervisors to serve as faculty members in counselor education programs, counselor supervisors in various settings, doctoral level counselors, leaders in higher education and counseling organizations, and scholars.
Dental Hygiene
Dental Hygiene
We provide a quality educational experience for our dental hygiene students and are the only program in the state of Idaho to offer a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in Dental Hygiene. The fundamental philosophy of Idaho State University Department of Dental Hygiene is threefold.
- First, its members are committed to excellence in all academic endeavors.
- Second, the program is progressive in instituting ongoing changes to prepare for the future of dental hygiene.
- Third, as a component of the university's primary emphasis area, the program serves statewide and regional needs by providing access to quality education in the discipline as well as meeting the employment demands and oral health needs of the public.
Emergency Services
Emergency Services
Emergency services ensure public safety and health by planning for and responding to different emergency situations such as structural and wildland fires, medical emergencies, natural and human-caused disasters, search and rescue, and hazardous materials exposure.
The Emergency Services Department offers the following degrees and programs:
• Bachelor of Science in Health Science Concentration in Emergency Medical Services, LIVE ONLINE!
• Community Paramedic Academic Certificate, LIVE ONLINE!
• Emergency Management Associate of Science and Bachelor of Science, LIVE ONLINE!
• Fire Services Administration Associate of Science and Bachelor of Science, LIVE ONLINE!
• Paramedic Science Associate of Science and/or Paramedic Science Academic Certificate, Classroom-based at Meridian Health Science Center and Idaho Falls ISU campus
Medical Laboratory Sciences
Medical Laboratory Science
Medical Laboratory Scientists are responsible for the development, implementation performance, and utilization of laboratory tests in the health care setting. Currently it is listed second among the top ten most valuable BS degrees in terms of average pay of graduates and employment rate. ISU offers a NAACLS accredited program at the B.S, second B.S. and M.S. levels, all of which include the yearlong professional program of study which culminates in eligibility to take the national credentialing examination.
Nutrition and Dietetics
Nutrition and Dietetics
Every Registered Dietitian is a Nutritionist, but not every Nutritionist is a Registered Dietitian. At ISU, we are dedicated to educating the next generation of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists.
One thing that sets ISU apart from other programs is a focus on hands-on learning activities. This gives students the opportunity to immediately apply coursework, as well as hone teamwork skills and glean lessons from real-time coaching
Physician Assistant Studies
Physician Assistant Studies
Physician Assistants (PAs) are highly skilled health practitioners who work under physician supervision to provide patient care services. PAs take complete medical histories, perform physical examinations, order and interpret diagnostic studies, such as laboratory tests and x-rays, diagnose and treat patients. Physician Assistants improve the accessibility of health care of underserved individuals in both urban and rural settings. The Physician Assistant Program at Idaho State University is the only PA Program in the state of Idaho.
Radiographic Science
Radiographic Science
The Radiographic Science program at Idaho State University prepares students to work as imaging professionals in hospitals and clinics throughout the United States. State of the art equipment and on site laboratory experiences enhances learning while on campus. The off campus clinical experience provides students with 1500 hours of internship at local hospitals and clinics. Our philosophy is that students who learn from experts become experts.
WHAT'S NEW!
The Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics named Barbara J. Gordon, MBA, RDN, LD, FAND, Outstanding Dietitian of the Year for 2020. This award recognizes members who have demonstrated leadership within the organization or employment through research, education, management or legislation. Recipients of this award have also served as an outstanding role model of professionalism and as a source of inspiration to others in nutrition and dietetics.
Full story at: http://ow.ly/Th8N50zQGSs
James Bitter, Ed.D., has been named the 2020 Idaho State University Professional Achievement Award recipient in the College of Health Professions. He is a 1975 graduate with a Doctor of Education degree in Counselor Education.
Bitter is the author or co-author of 4 books. He has also authored more than seventy journal articles, chapters, and videotapes. He is the featured master therapist on the video for Adlerian family therapy on the Psychotherapy.net series Family Therapy with the Experts. Bitter has participated in establishing and supporting five family education centers in the United States, and contributing to the development of another five throughout the world. He is an international trainer in Adlerian psychotherapy, and he has conducted workshops and training programs in England, Ireland, Korea, Malta, Peru, Slovenia, and Romania, to name a few.Bitter works as a Professor of Counseling and Human Services at East Tennessee State University. He is a Diplomate in Adlerian Psychology (NASAP, 2002), and the former Editor of the Journal of Individual Psychology. He is past President of the North American Society of Adlerian Psychology (NASAP), a position he held from 2016-2018.
He has been married to Anita Lynn Williams for 37 years; they have two daughters.
Clinical Assistant Professor Char Byington, MEd, RDN published the article, "Beta Rho Wins First Place Award for the Professional Project" in the Fall 2019 issue of The Candle: Journal of Phi Upsilon Omicron. Beta Rho is the ISU chapter of Phi U, a scholastic honor society with more than 100,000 members that recognizes academic achievement among students in the field of family and consumer science. The ISU Chapter was recognized for its outstanding work on the ISU Nutrition Fair.
Barb Gordon, MBA, RDN, LD, FAND, Assistant Professor and Chair of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, co-published, "Medical Nutrition Therapy for Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome—Does One Size Fit All?". A Narrative Review on Dietary Treatment for Adolescents and Young Adults in the January issue of Topics in Clinical Nutrition. Co-authors included two dietitians from Long Island University-Post and a pediatrician with the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at Columbia University Medical Center.
