About Us

About the Consortium

The Northwest Ohio Allied Health Consortium is composed of four higher education institutions: Rhodes State College (Lima); Marion Technical College (Marion); Northwest State Community College (Archbold); and Urbana University (Urbana). It’s funded by a $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor through the “President’s Community-Based Job Training Grants Initiative” to prepare local workers for careers in high growth industries. Approximately $800,000 of the consortium’s grant funds is being used to provide student scholarships.

How it works

The consortium combines the resources of the four member institutions to provide you with more degree options and a seamless educational experience. You can complete a degree in an allied health program offered at a consortium institution by attending the institution closest to you. For example, if you want to become a respiratory therapist but your local community college doesn’t offer this degree program, you don’t have to engage in an arduous commute or give up your dream. Through the consortium, you could attend classes close to home and obtain your associate’s degree. You would take general education courses locally and program courses (offered at the distant college) via live videoconferencing broadcast while sitting in a classroom at your local college. Your clinical requirements would also be completed at local hospitals and healthcare facilities. You would only need to travel to the distant college for some laboratory work.

Degree options

These allied health degree programs are available through the consortium:

• Medical Laboratory Technician - Marion Tech degree program, available to students at Rhodes State and Northwest State.
• Radiographic Imaging - Rhodes State degree program, available to students at Northwest State and Urbana University.
• Respiratory Care – Rhodes State degree program, available to students at Marion Tech, Northwest State and Urban University.
• Occupational Therapy Assistant – Rhodes State degree program, available to students at Marion Tech and Northwest State.
• Physical Therapy Assistant – Rhodes State degree program, available to students at Northwest State.
• Healthcare Management bachelor’s degree-Urbana University degree-seeking program, available to students from Rhodes, Marion and Northwest State Community College who receive an associate’s degree in an allied health field. At this time, however, the bachelor’s degree program is not a distant education option. You would need to travel to Urbana for course work.

Benefits

• Convenient. You don’t have to travel a long distance to major in the allied health field that interests you. The consortium enables you to major in an allied health program offered at another institution by attending your local institution and participating in courses via long-distance education modules. Also, clinical experiences are conveniently arranged with local hospitals and other health care facilities. You may need to travel to the degree-granting institution for some laboratories or classes.
• Cost-effective. The cost of the program is reasonable and grant-funded scholarships are available.
• Supportive. Admissions counselors walk you through the enrollment process and instructors and administrators at each institution care about your success and are supportive throughout the program.
• Success. Workforce statistics show that allied health professionals are needed to work at hospitals and healthcare facilities across Northwest Ohio. Completion of a degree program offered through the consortium can lead to a job offer close to home. You’ll be on your way to an exciting career with financial stability and personal growth.