Allied Health Assistant is a relatively new concept in healthcare. The term is essentially used to refer to health fields outside of the traditional ones of dentistry, nursing, and medical care. In this field, professionals work collaboratively to diagnose, prevent, and treat or manage a wide range of health ailments and conditions.
Some of the jobs you would be looking at in this field include:
- Chiropractor
- Dietician
- Art therapist
- Genetic counsellor Optometrist
- occupational therapist
- Speech pathologist
- Physiotherapist
While these might not be mainstream medical fields, they still use science to solve a myriad of patient problems.
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Why You Should Consider This Field
There are many reasons why you should consider becoming an allied health assistant. The following are some of them.
1. Training Doesn’t Strain Your Finances
Mainstream health courses do not come cheap. If you are unable to get student loans, they tend to be out of reach for most people. If your dream is to be in health sciences but are low on finances, allied health courses are a great way to get there. You get to be in health services and spend a fraction of what you would to pursue something in the medical field.
2. Short Training Programs
Another advantage of allied services is that training takes a shorter duration as compared to most medical fields. If it is important that you are not in school longer than four years for various reasons, then consider allied health care. This also ties in with finances because the longer you have to be in training, the higher the costs. Check out some excellent training courses in allied health services here.
3. There’s Job Security
This field is a safe bet if you are looking for a career with excellent prospects. Health care is not a sector with high demand in Australia alone-the job demand is high globally.
Australia’s population-and, indeed that of most countries in the developed world- is rapidly aging. In 2017, over 3.8 million Australians were 65 and above. This, in itself, speaks to the expected increase in demand for healthcare care professionals in the coming years.
4. Job Satisfaction
If you look at a career as more than just a means to an end and pride yourself in doing meaningful work, this can give you just that. Allied Health Assistant services put you in a position where you get to help others feel better and live their best lives. Seeing your client’s worse for wear, then gradually seeing them improve is very satisfying for most people.
5. You Have Military Advantage
If you have always had your eye on joining the military, being an allied health assistant can give you an edge over other applicants. Once in, you will get the chance to serve the country by helping fellow servicemen and women remain in good health.
6. Work Flexibility
While the medical field is known for long working hours, it is the doctors and the nurses who bear the brunt. Allied health assistant does not face that much pressure and may work the regular 9 to 5. What’s more is that you can work in almost any setting, globally. You can also choose to go into private practice, which brings even more flexibility. Here you can choose your operating hours, where to work from, and even which days to open.
Get Started
A career as an allied health assistant is bound to bring fulfillment and even a smile on the face after a hard day of work. The career prospects are great too, so you wouldn’t have to worry about going for long without work. The pay is decent, and you don’t have to undergo many years of training to get started.