Published: 31st August 2021.
Written by Jodie Magrath
A Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance is a great way to get started in a rewarding career helping other people. You’ll learn to support clients who are receiving allied health therapies such as occupational therapy, speech pathology or physiotherapy. You might work with people with a disability, elderly people or people who are recovering from an accident or illness. This course allows you to deliver therapy programs that have been prepared by qualified allied health professionals.
The Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance covers a range of topics to prepare you to work with clients from various backgrounds. You’ll learn to work with other health care providers and communicate with other community service professionals. This course will give you the skills to recognise healthy body systems and promote healthy body functioning. You’ll learn to interpret and apply medical technology and manage legal and ethical compliance.
A career as an allied health assistant requires excellent interpersonal skills. You’ll need to be a good communicator and must be able to listen to your clients’ needs. It’s important that you can follow instructions and work with correct procedures. Allied Health Assistants should be organised and able to manage their time well.
A Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance can prepare you for the following careers:
Allied Health Assistant
An Allied Health Assistant delivers therapy plans prepared by qualified allied health professionals. They usually work one-on-one with clients to focus on particular goals. Allied Health Assistants might specialise in physiotherapy, occupational therapy or speech pathology, or provide assistance in a range of allied health areas.
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Occupational Therapy Assistants work with clients to help them reach their therapy goals. They’ll follow a plan prepared by a qualified occupational therapist and may work from a clinic or visit a client in their own home. An Occupational Therapy Assistant may work with adults or children to help them develop a particular skill.
Physiotherapy Assistant
A Physiotherapy Assistant provides assistance to clients who are following a physiotherapy plan. They might work with people who are recovering from an accident or illness, people with a disability or elderly people. A Physiotherapy Assistant works closely with qualified physiotherapists to deliver a therapy plan.
Higher education pathways
A Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance is an ideal course if you’re hoping to make your start in the allied health industry. You could also specialise your skills with a Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (Occupational Therapy), Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (Physiotherapy), Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (Community Rehabilitation), or Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (Nutrition and Dietetics).
If you want to advance your career in allied health assistance you could enrol in a university degree such as a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, Bachelor of Speech Pathology or Bachelor of Physiotherapy. A university degree can expand your career opportunities and may allow you to be employed in a position with more responsibility. You may be able to use a Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance as a pathway to these courses.
Getting started
If you’re planning to enrol in a Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance, make sure you gather information from a range of course providers before making a decision on which course is right for you. There are usually some differences in the way providers deliver their courses, so find out about the duration of the course, costs, any prerequisites and the content the course will cover. Once you have all the information you can compare details and find the right fit for your needs.