Considering a Career in Allied Health But Don’t Know Where to Start?

Allied Health is an incredibly important area of medicine that includes health professionals who are not doctors, dentists or nurses. If you have a strong desire to work with people, learn about medicine and become part of the health care community, a career in Allied Health may be an excellent option.

There are countless career opportunities for those who qualify with a qualification in Allied Health. You could end up working in a hospital or private clinic, in a rehabilitation centre, community clinic or even at a university or school.

Some examples of the types of allied health professionals in Australia include:

Careers in Allied Health can be highly rewarding and you’ll find yourself coming in contact with a range of both long-term and short-term patients.

Professionals who work in Allied Health are generally very caring and compassionate people, with good communication (listening, speaking) skills and a high attention to detail and accuracy. You’ll need to be able to cope with the pressures of attending to patients, being on the go and often dealing with difficult or challenging patients or situations.

Salaries can vary greatly in Allied Health, particularly depending on what field you choose and where you are employed. However, these stats may give you an overall idea of income:

If you’re keen to get into Allied Health, it can be a good idea to begin with a Certificate III qualification in your chosen field. Throughout the certificate course, you’ll learn about the basics of the body (anatomy, physiology), become familiar with medical terminology and learn how to provide care for patients in your area.

Some courses will also teach you how to conduct health interventions, create programs and effectively communicate with the people you’ll be looking after, even if they can’t communicate fully with you. Many certificates will also involve a practical or work placement to help you build your skills.

While getting into Allied Health can be an exciting career move, how can you decide which field is best for you? Especially when you’ve got no experience?

We’re put together this list of potential Allied Health positions to give you more of an idea of the areas open to you – and what each involves. Keep in mind that you can develop a career as any one of the below or you can be employed as a support worker or assistant to a qualified physician.

A career in Allied Health can be extremely rewarding no matter what field you choose to go into. All you need is a desire to care for others and a willingness to learn as much as you can!