Northeast College of Health Sciences Programs: A Comprehensive Overview

Northeast College of Health Sciences, a private alternative health college located in Seneca Falls, New York, has a rich history and a forward-looking approach to health sciences education. Originally founded in New York City in 1919 as the Columbia Institute of Chiropractic by chiropractor Frank Dean, the institution has evolved significantly over the past century. It was later recognized by the New York State Board of Regents as New York Chiropractic College in 1977, before relocating from Manhattan to Long Island, and ultimately finding its home in Seneca Falls in 1989. In 2021, the college was renamed Northeast College of Health Sciences, reflecting its expanding range of programs and its commitment to a broader vision of healthcare education.

A Legacy of Chiropractic and Expanding Horizons

Northeast College of Health Sciences has a strong foundation in chiropractic education, and its Doctor of Chiropractic program remains a cornerstone of its academic offerings. However, the college has strategically expanded its programs to meet the evolving needs of the healthcare industry.

Graduate Programs

Beyond the Doctor of Chiropractic program, Northeast College of Health Sciences offers a variety of graduate programs designed to prepare students for specialized roles in healthcare. These programs include:

Clinical Nutrition: This program focuses on the science of nutrition and its application in preventing and treating disease.
Diagnostic Imaging: This program provides advanced training in the use of imaging technologies to diagnose medical conditions.
Anatomy: This program offers in-depth study of human anatomy, providing a strong foundation for careers in healthcare and research.
Human Anatomy & Physiology Instruction: This program prepares individuals to teach anatomy and physiology at the college level.

Undergraduate Programs

In recent years, Northeast College of Health Sciences has broadened its educational offerings to include undergraduate programs, addressing the growing demand for skilled healthcare practitioners. In 2024 Northeast College of Health Sciences started offering a range of undergraduate health sciences degrees. These programs provide students with a strong foundation in healthcare principles and prepare them for entry-level positions or further study in specialized fields. The undergraduate programs include:

AAS in Diagnostic Medical Sonography: This program trains students to use ultrasound technology to create images of the body for diagnostic purposes.
AAS in Radiologic Technology: This program prepares students to perform X-rays and other imaging procedures.
Certificate in Massage Therapy: This program provides students with the skills and knowledge to become licensed massage therapists.

Experiential Learning and Clinical Opportunities

Northeast College of Health Sciences emphasizes experiential learning, providing students with ample opportunities to apply their knowledge in real-world settings. The college operates community clinics in Seneca Falls, Depew, and Levittown, New York, where students can gain hands-on experience working with patients under the supervision of licensed professionals. All on-campus programs have a robust clinical component built into the curriculum, which entails hands-on immersion in an active healthcare setting. These experiences often begin in a student’s first trimester of study and are situated within hospitals, regional health providers, VA hospitals, large network providers and regional health providers - including College-run health centers across New York state.

A Commitment to Academic Excellence and Interprofessional Education

Northeast College of Health Sciences is committed to providing students with a high-quality education that prepares them for success in their chosen careers. The college's faculty members are experts in their fields and bring real-world experience to the classroom. According to Dr. Killen, students enrolled in Northeast College’s programs learn the science and art behind their chosen professions while being immersed in educational environments.

The college also emphasizes interprofessional education, which involves students from different healthcare disciplines learning together. This approach promotes collaboration and communication, essential skills for effective healthcare teams. "One of the hallmarks of a Northeast education is our commitment to uncompromised academic excellence, with a focus on interprofessional education to achieve the best outcomes in patient care,” says Dr. Killen. Undergraduate students at Northeast College will have access to many advantages enjoyed by graduate students.

Campus Environment and Student Life

Northeast College of Health Sciences is located on a nearly 300-acre campus in the Finger Lakes Region of New York. The campus offers a variety of facilities and services to support student learning and well-being, including an athletic center, dining hall, coffee shop, and suite-style residence halls. Northeast’s enrolled undergraduate students will have access to the same campus facilities and services as graduate students, including the athletic center, dining hall, coffee shop, and complimentary chiropractic care, just to name a few. Students may choose to live on-campus in the suite style residence halls in a community of like-minded individuals and are encouraged to join one of the College’s numerous clubs and organizations. Students may also take advantage of free tutoring, career services, academic coaching, and campus-wide events.

Partnership with SUNY Oswego

Northeast College of Health Sciences has partnered with SUNY Oswego to offer students a faster and more affordable path to a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. Through new articulation agreements, SUNY Oswego biology majors can choose either a 3+3 or 4+3 track to complete their undergraduate and graduate studies. The 3+3 option allows students to finish their undergraduate requirements at Oswego in three years, then transition directly into Northeast’s Doctor of Chiropractic program - saving a full year of tuition while securing their spot in the program when GPA requirements are met. The 4+3 option enables students to complete their bachelor’s degree at SUNY Oswego and then gain automatic admission to Northeast’s chiropractic program, provided all criteria are satisfied.With guided advising and support, participating students can streamline their studies, reduce costs and avoid unnecessary coursework by submitting a Letter of Intent signed by their undergraduate advisor.

Expanding Access and Addressing Healthcare Needs

Northeast College of Health Sciences is committed to expanding access to healthcare education and addressing the growing demand for skilled healthcare professionals. The college's undergraduate programs are designed to prepare students for successful careers in high-demand fields. These new programs aimed to address the surging demand for skilled healthcare practitioners and professionals.

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Physician Assistant Program

Northeast College of Health Sciences has applied for Accreditation - Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) for its Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (M.S. in PA Studies) program. Northeast College of Health Sciences anticipates matriculating its first class in September 2026, pending achieving Accreditation - Provisional status at the April 2026 ARC-PA meeting. Students cannot be matriculated or enrolled without this accreditation.

The M.S. in PA Studies program is committed to academic excellence, best practices, and professionalism in the PA profession, promoting optimal student, clinician, and patient outcomes. The program considers an average cohort score of 80% on annual evaluation items mapped to each of the above items as a benchmark of program effectiveness. Additionally, the program considers an average cohort score of 90% on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) as another measure of program effectiveness.

Upon successful completion of the PA program, graduates are eligible to sit for their national board examination in pursuit of national certification and subsequent state licensure. Supervised clinical practice experiences include seven core rotations and two selective specialty rotations. Core rotations include Behavioral and Mental Health Care, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatric Medicine, Surgical Medicine, and Women's Health Care.

The program’s graduate competencies include the following functions and tasks graduates should be able to perform as they pertain to patients across the life span and age groups, in preventive, acute, and chronic patient encounters, in the emergency department, inpatient, outpatient, and operating room settings, in the medical specialties of family medicine, emergency medicine (including emergent care), internal medicine (including elderly patients), surgery (including pre-operative, intraoperative, post operative), pediatrics (including care for infants, children and adolescents), women’s health (including prenatal and gynecological care), and behavioral and mental health care.

Technical Standards for the Physician Assistant Program

The program’s technical standards for both initial enrollment and for in-program progression once matriculated are noted below. The technical standards have been developed in consideration of the demands of PA program didactic and clinical training requirements and entry level practice. Along with other program prerequisites and requirements, all candidates and students must be able to independently, with or without reasonable accommodation, meet the Program specific technical standards. Once matriculated, all students must continue to meet these standards throughout the entirety of their program.

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Critical Thinking Ability & Skills: Students must possess the intellectual capabilities required to complete both the didactic and clinical curriculum and achieve competency. Critical thinking requires the intellectual ability to measure, calculate, synthesize, and analyze a large and complex volume of medical and surgical information.

Communication Skills: Students must be able to speak clearly and effectively in order to elicit and relay medical information.

Advice for Prospective Students

For high school students exploring careers in health sciences, Dr. Killen recommends that they "do their homework" when looking into a health science education. Dr. Killen also recommends students take advantage of opportunities to earn college credit while in high school. For adults considering a job change or looking to enhance their career, Dr. Killen thinks they’ll find their home away from home at Northeast as well: “These new programs are excellent opportunities for adult students looking to find a rewarding career in a growing job market.

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