Careers in Allied Health

Careers in Allied Health

Whether you’re just starting out in the workforce, already have some experience or simply need a career change, now is the time to take the next step towards a career in Allied Health. Below you will discover what you can expect from this exciting career path, gain some useful industry insights and learn how you can become qualified in your chosen specialisation with Foundation Education.

What to Expect from a Career in Allied Health

Whether you choose to specialise with certain patients or assist at hospitals or health clinics, working closely with patients is an extremely rewarding experience. These careers are a great fit for those who want to put their natural traits and recently gained skills to good use, a career in allied health is an amazing option that allows you to have a significant impact on other people’s lives.

While they depend on where you choose to specialise, some of the daily duties you could be doing as part of your health career include:

• Monitoring and recording patients' health

• Promoting positive nutritional, mental and physical health

• Communicating with patients, relatives and other health professionals

• Assisting health professionals with clinical duties

However, no matter what you choose to specialise in, you can expect challenges along the way. Check out these informative articles to learn more about the duties and responsibilities of the following Allied Health careers:

• What Do Allied Health Assistants Do?

• What Does a Practice Manager Do?

• Role of a Physiotherapy Assistant

• What Does an Occupational Therapist Do?

How do I know if a career in Allied Health is right for me?

A career in Allied Health requires a great amount of commitment, hard work and dedication. Your reasons for stepping into the healthcare industry are an extremely important indicator of how seriously you intend to take your career, and you need to ensure you are doing it for the right reasons.

Are you happy to be the friendly face of the clinic, or do you want something a little more hands-on? Finding the right spot in the healthcare industry isn’t always easy, but once you’ve made the choice, it’s easier to know where to begin. Medical clinics, schools, paediatric offices, labs, and cruise ships are just a handful of workplaces you could end up in, so don’t feel restricted by the ‘hospital’ title.

A career in Allied Health offers a wide variety of opportunities – and there’s a whole realm of careers to choose from.

Essential Skills

Most careers in the Allied Health industry require you to have a specialised skill set and certain personality traits. Being able to remain calm and collected under pressure with a mature attitude is paramount in your day-to-day tasks. Ensure your skills and personality will serve to strengthen your position in healthcare rather than becoming a hurdle or hindrance. That said, if your intentions for stepping into the Health industry are valid and genuine, then chances are your skills and personality will be equally fitting. They include:

• Patience – for working closely with patients under treatment or rehabilitation programs

• Organisation - to follow procedures and keep on top of patient records

• Communication - to communicate with patients, families, carers, doctors and other health professionals

• Empathy – to put yourself in the patient's shoes and empathise with their situation

Why Work in Allied Health

To be honest, there are dozens of reasons you should seriously consider a career in Allied Health. But we’ll focus on a few key ones so you know why Allied Health is as varied and interesting as a medical career can be.

You Like the Idea of Working in a Wide Range of Medical Fields

That’s the first key to understanding where you can go with an Allied Health qualification. You’re simply not restricted to one medical area. In fact, you can hop between Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Aged Care, Mental Health, Speech Therapy and more. Your day will be as varied, challenging, and exciting as a day can be. Allied Health Assistants are trained to be versatile with the skills to leap seamlessly from one medical discipline to another.

You Care about People

Young people, old people, people with special needs; you’ll work with them all. And along the way, you’ll have the chance to make a big difference in people’s lives. A great Allied Health Assistant will be passionate about life and the well-being of others.

You’re Ambitious

A career in Allied Health is immensely rewarding in itself, but it will also open all kinds of doors throughout the medical profession. If you’re ambitious and passionate about your career, who knows where Allied Health could ultimately take you.

You Want to Work in an Exciting Growth Industry

The Health industry is not only thriving it’s growing at a rate of knots. That means jobs and job security. Labour Market Insights predicts that opportunities for Nursing Support and Personal Care Workers will grow by 301,000 (or 15.8%) over the five years to November 2026. If you start your Allied Health course now, you’ll be qualifying at exactly the right time.

You Love the Idea but Don’t Think you Qualify

Right now you probably don’t – anything medical requires a serious qualification. After all, any patient in your care is putting their life in your hands.

You may not have done well enough in school to qualify for university. But you still have the chance to pursue a vocational qualification. Why? Because vocational training gives you specialised skills for a specific job.

Also, the good news is that you can do most of your Allied Health training at your own pace via online study modules and get work experience working with Allied Health professionals as part of your study’s practical component. The online study aspect proves beneficial as it means that you can train while still working in your current job.

Healthcare and Social Assistance Industry Insights

The Healthcare and Social Assistance industry is the largest contributor to employment in Australia. This is great news for those just starting their careers in healthcare or for those re-entering the job market, as the number of people employed in the industry is expected to exceed 2 million by 2025.

There are occupation groups within the Allied Health industry that make up sizable portions of the total workforce, including Aged Care Assistant, Health Care Assistant and Physiotherapy Assistant. This represents the rise in Allied Health and how specialised workers can put their expertise to use in a variety of different sectors.

Your Career in Allied Health Starts Here

For the full list of nationally recognised qualifications, view our allied health courses.

Allied Health Assistant

The various duties of an Allied Health Assistant include:

• Caring for patients by providing clinical support

• Providing program-related support to allied health professionals

• Assisting with administration tasks such as organising patient information

Courses

HLT33015 Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance

HLT43015 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance

HLT43015 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (Nutrition and Dietetics Specialisation)

Physiotherapy Assistant

The various duties of a Physiotherapy Assistant include:

• Supporting everyday people and athletes through physical rehabilitation

• Developing patient-specific physiotherapy programs

• Using rehab exercise equipment to increase patient’s strength

Course

HLT43015 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (Physiotherapy)

Occupational Therapy Assistant

• Evaluating a patient’s condition and needs

• Develop treatment plans to address a patient’s needs

• Train patients and their caregivers to use special equipment

Course

HLT43015 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (Occupational Therapy)