Which Health Qualification Is Right For You

Picking the right course can be very confusing.

A career in healthcare isn’t for everyone. However, for those people willing to take the plunge and do what it takes, the rewards can be awesome.

A career in health can take you places that you’d never imagined, as well as being incredibly rewarding. It’s something many of us dream about, but few take the leap and pursue it. It can be difficult to break into a career in the medical industry, but it’s very worth it.

The best part is you don’t need a university degree. It’s possible to have a long and successful career in health with a Certificate III, something you can earn with a little bit of focus, determination and time.

For those who aren’t interested in offering frontline healthcare services, such as nursing or palliative care, there are plenty of other career options available in the medical industry. Support services, such as administration, are highly in demand and greatly important across the entire medical sector.

Here, we outline the difference between the BSB30120 Certificate III in Business (Medical Administration) and the HLT37315 Certificate III in Health Administration. But first, why should you even consider a career in healthcare?

Why Should You Pursue an Administrative Role in Health?

There are plenty of reasons to pursue an administrative role in the healthcare sector. Possibly the most prominent reason is the high demand for new employees in a broad range of administrative roles. From Medical Receptionists to Administrative Assistants, there is a wide variety of roles available in the medical industry.

There is currently a very high demand for support roles. As the Australian population continues to grow, so too does the demand for healthcare services and related jobs. Thanks to our robust system of public healthcare coverage, there is always plenty of work to go around.

As a consequence of this increasing demand, you’ll also enjoy higher job security than in many other industries. A large number of organisations within healthcare have a strong focus on staff retention. They make a great effort to develop and train their staff in the methods and procedures that are applicable to their way of doing business. When you get a job with one of these companies, you’ll also receive plenty of encouragement to stay for the long haul.

Beyond the obvious benefits of having a consistent and steady income and a fairly easy job search, if you ever decide to move on, healthcare roles can also be incredibly rewarding. There are few things more satisfying than having a positive impact on a patient’s experience at a hospital or general practice and watching them walk away happy and healthy.

Due to the diverse nature of the industry, there are plenty of avenues for career growth. Regardless of where you want to end up, there will always be something out there that is applicable to your particular skill set and experience. In addition to the diverse opportunities available, you will find that once you are with a company, there is a good chance that they’ll invest heavily in your capabilities.

So, what are the main differences between the Certificate III in Health Administration and the Certificate III in Business (Medical Administration)?

The focus is different.

The Certificate III in Business (Medical Administration) has a strong focus on business administration first and health second. Think of the health aspect as an area of major study, while the majority of the course revolves around generic business administration education.

The benefit to this is that you can take your Certificate III in Business (Medical Administration) and apply it to non-medical roles. It's a lot more flexible in that regard and can come in handy if you ever choose to change careers.

On the other hand, the Certificate III in Health Administration has a firm focus first and foremost on health administration education. The driving force behind this qualification is to enable you to pursue a career in health administration, with specific attention paid to certain aspects of these roles, such as patient records management and infection control policies.

The jobs you’ll qualify for are fairly different.

Due to the focused nature of the two courses, they're designed to qualify you for specific roles. Realistically, you may be able to pursue a wide range of administrative roles in the healthcare sector with either qualification, however, they do have different focuses.

The Certificate III in Health Administration will qualify you for roles such as an Admissions Clerk, which involves patient bookings, health fund checks, admission and other reception duties. Other roles that you'll be qualified for include Health Administrative Worker and Ward Clerk, which are both critical to the operations of specific parts of hospitals and private practices.

The Certificate III in Business (Medical Administration) will position you for a career as a Medical Receptionist or Secretary to a high-level administration official in a hospital or research centre. You'll be the face of the business or your manager's public representative and will be responsible for processing enquiries, scheduling appointments and handling payments. Additionally, you will be qualified as a Medical Records Clerk, which involves maintaining complete and accurate records in a patient administration system.

Only one qualification comes with specialist health courses.

While both qualifications will adequately prepare you for a range of administrative roles in the healthcare industry, only one of them includes a course that is specifically designed for a medical environment. The Certificate III in Health Administration requires you to study HLTINF001 (Comply with infection prevention and control policies and procedures).

However, both courses cover a number of medical-related areas, such as BSBMED302 (prepare and process medical accounts) and BSBMED301 (Interpret and apply medical terminology appropriately).

The choice is yours.

Both qualifications are well designed to ensure that you are prepared for a career in administrative roles in the healthcare industry. Ultimately, you need to weigh up your options and decide what is appropriate for your future.

If in doubt, get in touch! We'll discuss your options and help you develop a career plan to get you where you want to be.