Rehabilitation--an emerging allied health profession.

Rehabilitation is perceived as the third phase of health care following preventive health care and curative medicine. The rehabilitation specialist assists the health care team in facilitating the patient to live and work with what he has left. The unique role of the rehabilitation specialist in the health care system is described, as well as his/her relation to traditional helth care personnel. The University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas in the School of Allied Health Sciences has offered professional education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the Department of Rehabilitation Science for the past five years. The curriculum description, student characteristics, and employment placements are distinguishing features of each program and describe how this rehabilitation specialist is educated.