Allied health practitioners use their training to stop the spread of disease by diagnosing, treating, and rehabilitating patients of all ages and specialities. Along with a variety of technical and support specialists, they offer direct medical treatment, recuperation, medicine, diagnostics, and health development measures in order to restore and sustain optimal physical, sensory, psychological, cognitive, and social functions.

All different types of medical diagnostic procedures (such as blood analysis, histopathology, pathological analysis, and radiography) that are employed in the medical industry and are crucial to patient care are covered by allied health sciences. With diagnosis based on technology, the role of allied health professionals in providing appropriate care has grown crucial.

Faculty of Allied Health Sciences is an institution of Vinayaka Mission’s Research Foundation, deemed to be a university that was founded in 2004 by Dr A. Shanmugasundaram with the mission of creating more health practitioners like these.

The institution’s goal was to empower rural youth by providing quality education, and over the years, it has grown from offering just two courses and accommodating 20 students to offering 14 undergraduate courses, 13 postgraduate courses, and three diploma courses across four campuses in Salem, Chennai, Pondy, and Karaikal. Currently, the institution has around 2,000 students per academic year.

Setting New Standards

The institution’s reputation, both nationally and internationally, is one of its major strengths. This reputation has been achieved through the provision of high-class pre-clinical and clinical laboratories, research and development, exposure to high-profile professionals and peers, special expertise and high-end technology, and high-quality results.

The strong guidance and support of Honorable Dr A. S. Ganesan, Chancellor and Dr Mrs Anuradha Ganesan, Director of VMRF-DU and the dynamic leadership of Founder Principal and currently the Dean Prof. Dr B. Sendilkumar, has helped the institution to receive over 30 awards from various national and international conclaves. Collaborations between the institution and other universities and educational institutions have also contributed to better student performance. To help students keep pace with international standards, the institution offers free online courses through platforms such as Coursera, Edx, and SWAYAM, value added courses, career guidance and placements, and skill enhancement courses.

Emphasizing Overall Development

The institution has memberships with reputed organizations such as the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO), Indian Society of Radiographers and Technologists (ISRT), India Vision Institute, and government initiatives such as DSIR, Institutional Innovation Council of the Ministry of Human Resource and Development, SWAYAM-NPTEL Local Chapter, and National Digital Library, India.

In addition to academic excellence, the institution also emphasizes overall development and has been certified as the first educational institution to receive the FIT INDIA certification from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The institution has an Institutional Innovation Council under the aegis of MHRD, Govt of India. Since its inception, the institution has received the Highest Four Star Ranking and Band Promising under ARIIA.

Additionally, the institution has been recognized as an Atal Tinkering Lab, the only one in Tamil Nadu, through the IIC. Furthermore, the first established and registered SAHS E Cell of Tamil Nadu under EDII, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, supports student innovators and entrepreneurs from design thinking to commercialization.

The institution offers industry-specific and industry designed courses for different department students. For example, organizations like Bausch and Lomb, a leading international contact lens company, offer optometry students industry-specific courses. Siemens Healthiness also offers industry-specific courses for radiography and anaesthesia technology students.

These courses are certified by the industries offering them and play a significant role in increasing the value of a student’s resume. Soft skills training sessions are also given as a certificate course to help students improve their communication skills, personality development, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, etc.

Innovative Welfare Measures

Under the Unnath Bharat Abhiyan scheme of Govt. of India, the institution has been recognized and has adopted five villages. Throughout the year, welfare measures have been carried out for the benefit of these villages, and the institution has received the ‘District Sustainability Mentorship’ from the ‘Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education’ (MGNCRE), Ministry of Education, Government of India, to promote sustainability in colleges and villages in Salem district.

The institution has instituted NSS, RRC, Youth Club, Fit India Club, and EVS club through which social welfare activities like health awareness programs, fitness campaigns, free health screening and free spectacle distribution, blood donation camps, tree plantation activities, and engaging rural youths in environmental wellness and empowerment programs are organized. Almost 200 social service and awareness activities are organized.

SAHS actively participates in the monthly Swachhta Activities suggested by MGNCRE, Government of India. Certification from the Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Educating has been received for showcasing sustainability in Greenery, Water and Energy conservation, Waste management and Land Use management.

Continual Improvement through Sustained Activities

When the college started with the Degree programs in Allied Health courses almost 20 years back, there was no support from any of the stakeholders since not many people understood the future demand for Allied Health Professionals and the institution being located in a suburban area, the college had its fair share of challenges in getting admissions in the initial years, and till date, the major challenge is the manpower demand that it was unable to meet in some of its campuses.

However, the college has focused on continual improvement and through sustained activities and also by creating awareness that Allied Health science courses are the most sought after because of the job opportunities it provides within India and abroad, the institute has overcome the challenges of student intakes.

Health professionals play a central and critical role in improving access to and quality health care for the population. They provide essential services that promote health, prevent diseases and deliver health care services to individuals, families and communities.

The scope of Allied Health professionals includes and is not limited to Individual Private practice, Jobs in Government/Private Hospitals in India and abroad, Work in Corporate Companies dealing with health care devices, Teaching profession, higher Studies-PG/PhD, and Research Scientists. With such vast opportunities and versatility AHS is the right choice for a brighter future also, considering there is going to be a high demand for these professionals globally over the coming years.

Testimonies of Excellence

The institute has received numerous awards since the beginning. Some of them are:

• ESG Enabler of the Year award from Indian ESG Network and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy on 16th March 2023.
• Eminent Allied Health Sciences Institute in Tamilnadu award in Pinnacle Awards 2022 from Vconnect Exclusive from the house of Vikatan on 16th December 2022.
• Leading and Most Prominent Allied Health Science Institute of the Year 2022, Tamil Nadu award under the category Quality Education, Innovative Teaching Approach and Leading Infrastructure from Educational Excellence Awards on 10th November 2022.
• Outstanding Institute in Learning Initiative and Skill Development 2022 award from Ardorcomm Education Leadership Awards 2022 on 14th and 15th October 2022
• Overall Excellence in Higher Education award from News 18 Tamil Nadu’s Sigaram Awards 2022 at Puducherry on 27th August 2022.
• Best Educational Institute in Salem award from Salem Business Awards 2022 on 19th August 2022.
• Excellence in course and curriculum design award in 24th World Education Summit organized by Elets Technomedia on 27th and 28th July 2022.
• Best CSR Initiative – Rural Development Award from Rural and Urban Development Summit Award 2022 on 8th July 2022.
• FICCI Road Safety Awards 2021 for the initiative Value Added Programme for Students. Category: Road Safety Intervention by Higher Education Institutes by FICCI on 29th June 2022.
• Best Allied Health Sciences by Katral Viruthugal 2022, organized by News 18 Network South on 21st June 2022.
• Educational Institutes, Sustainable Best Practices awards by Amritam (Aspiring for a Sustainable Future) The Sustainable Awards 2022, New Delhi on 4th June 2022.
• Emerging Innovative Entity of the Year award by HUMCEN Awards 2022 on 29th May 2022.
• Commendable Contributors in Allied Health Sciences Education in Tamilnadu award by International Icons 2022 on 29th April 2022.
• Best Allied Health Institute in South India 2022 award by 17th Rashtriya Shiksha Gaurav Puraskar Ceremony 2022 on 18th April 2022.
• Best in Allied Health Sciences Education in Salem District award by Kalaignar TV on 9th April 2022.
• Excellence in Teaching in Health Sciences by New Normal Healthcare Leadership Summit and Awards by ArdorComm Media Group on 11th and 12th March 2022.