Important curriculum content for baccalaureate allied health programs: a survey of deans.

The purpose of this study was to assist deans of baccalaureate-level schools of allied health professions to come to consensus on knowledge and skills that graduates should have over and above what is required for professional accreditation and credentialing, and prerequisite or cognate courses that may be utilized to develop them. An adaptation of the Delphi method was used in 1990-1991 to survey the deans of 74 institutional members of the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions (ASAHP) offering programs at the bachelor's degree level. Three rounds of questionnaires were completed. The study concluded that there was consensus among the 54 deans who responded to the third questionnaire that 19 items of knowledge and skill are important for allied health students, and that 14 courses are important for the development of this knowledge and these skills.