A basic philosophical base for accreditation in any field of study is the nurturing of quality education in an effort to serve the public interest. The concept of providing quality service to the public is especially true in the allied health care professions, where the health of the patient is the responsibility of the practitioner. Accredited educational programs assure the profession of a supply of qualified professionals. Since accreditation is based on a set of 'standards', employers and professionals in the field are assured that a student graduating from an accredited educational program has a basic knowledge base that provides the graduate with the skills to function as an entry-level professional within that given profession. Similarly, the public can be assured that a practitioner graduated from an accredited program has been trained to perform the tasks necessary for a given allied health profession.
Accreditation provides accountability to the public sector.
It can be assumed that an accredited allied health education program produces students who are qualified to perform as safe and knowledgeable professionals in the field. The graduating students are also assured that they will learn the knowledge and skills necessary to make them a quality professional. Schools that meet accreditation standards are held to a higher measure than those not accredited. Many of these boards require graduation from an accredited educational program as the only way to qualify for their credential. The structure of allied health education in the United States is as varied as the professional roles.