The American Medical Association (AMA), through its support of allied health education accreditation, plays an important role in maintaining professional standards, assuring that graduates of programs accredited by the AMA Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA) are qualified to perform their roles and functions and to work effectively with physicians. The specialized accreditation services provided by CAHEA contribute greatly to educational effectiveness and quality assurance. ACCREDITATION For more than 50 years the AMA and its members have recognized the value of actively participating in and promoting standards that maintain the quality of education for allied health personnel. This participation is increasingly important as it becomes more difficult to maintain an adequate supply of qualified professionals who complement, facilitate, or assist physicians as they provide health care services to the public. The AMA CAHEA is the most extensive specialized accrediting body in the nation. In accrediting educational programs that