Allied health professionals are those (exclusive of physicians, dentists, pharmacists, and nurses) who provide health care in support of or supplementing other health professionals. The Regional Technical Institute enables students from 26 colleges and junior colleges in Alabama and Tennessee to train in 14 allied health professions. (BR)

In the late 1960's and early 1970's, attracting physicians to areas of rural Alabama was virtually impossible because of the lack of professional health care workers available to become part of the necessary health care team. To address this problem, the University of Alabama (UA) adopted a plan to create a consortium of higher education…