Interview With Our Practice Assistants

Written by Chiu Lau, Julia Quennell and Rebecca Jackson-Calway

Back in 2005, following graduation from university, my peers and I commenced our search for work placement opportunities as part of our 4+2 Psychologist Registration pathway. Fortunately for me, because of my experiences as ABA Therapist and LifeLine Volunteer during my undergrad years, as well as my 6 month internship with PDI International, my success rate when applying for work placement and supervision was high. My peers, however, were informed that they were not successful in their application due to their "lack of experience". We were all understandably frustrated, with many of my peers exclaiming "if they don't give us a chance to gain experience, how would we GET the experience?" It was a Catch-22. The stress and unfairness of the situation left a huge impact on me.

In 2010, once I gained full registration as a Psychologist and working as an employee at a private group practice in Sutherland Shire, I started an internship program for Psychology Bachelor Degree students that involved them receiving training and experience as my social skills group program assistant. The reason for this was to provide a bridge for undergraduate students to gain clinical related knowledge and skills, that would assist them in getting their foot in the "Psychology Industry" door. In 2012, when I started my own business, the 'Possibilities' Practice Assistant Internship Program' was officially born.

Almost 9 years later, it pleases me to report that 3 former social skills group program assistants are now working alongside me at Possibilities as kickass Psychologists, 5 former Practice Assistants (that I know of anyway) are now working directly with clients in disability, foster care and Drugs and Alcohol services and one former Practice Assistant is now training all the new ones.

I have been reminded time and time again how invaluable this opportunity is for psych undergrads as a career "launching pad", and hence, emphatically encourage all psych private practice business owners to consider starting their own Practice Assistant Internship program.

If you need more encouragement, below are Julia and Rebecca, to tell you themselves how much they have benefited from this program and why there should be more "launching pad" opportunities like this for psychology undergrads everywhere!

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Julia Quennell is a former Practice Assistant at Possibilities Psychological services. She completed her 6-month Practice Assistant Internship from April 2017 till October 2017, and was promoted to administrative assistant, a role she has held for almost two years and counting. Alongside day to day operations maintenance and customer service, her role includes training and mentoring new Practice Assistants during their time at Possibilities. She is currently completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and aims to complete postgraduate study to become registered as a Psychologist, predominantly working in research and clinically with the LGBTIQ+ population.

Rebecca Jackson-Calway was a Practice Assistant at Possibilities Psychological Services, who completed her 6-month role as an intern 3 hours ago! Rebecca is a student at the University of Wollongong studying a Bachelor of Psychological Science and Bachelor of Social Science (Criminology). Rebecca is interested in Cyber crime, the stigmatisation of young offenders, and the effect modern society has on the mental health of adolescents. Rebecca aims to complete her double degree, and venture into Post-graduate study to become a registered Psychologist, working in the field of Forensic Psychology.

Q: What is a Practice Assistant?

Answer:

Julia:

A ‘Practice Assistant’ or "Super Assistant”, is essentially a university undergraduate completing an internship over a period of six months, where the individual is given the opportunity to experience the day to day in their chosen Allied Health Business. At Possibilities, Practice Assistants are valued members of the team, and develop skills needed for their further career with real world applications.

Rebecca:

A 'Practice Assistant' is an individual engaged by a Practice in order to complete various tasks to support the Practice in operating smoothly and functionally, and to allow them to gain experience in their chosen field. Personally, in my role as a practice assistant, I have undertaken a range of tasks from typical office admin duties, to unusual tasks such as completing ‘love language’ quizzes or taking our therapy dog for a walk. In a regular day, my duties are to complete drafts of doctor’s letters to update referrers of their mutual patient’s progress and will occasionally be asked to draft National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) summary letters and progress reviews. I answer incoming phone calls from clients, various health professionals, and school support staff, which most commonly involve booking and changing appointments for clients. I process various payments such as Medicare bulk bills, Medicare rebates, and client payments. Lastly, I score a range of Psychological assessments and screeners, such as the NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scale, the DASS21, and the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale.

Q: How are they beneficial for small Allied Health businesses?

Answer:

Julia:

In so many ways! I’m not the owner of a small business, so it’s hard to have a total outside perspective, but as a long-term employee, the benefit of having an extra member on the team can be invaluable at times. Training others helps your own understanding of tasks, so I often find myself becoming more confident in my role whilst training others. Need it be said that the extra hand in day to day running of the clinic is a huge help when things get very busy (which they tend to do), for both the clinicians and for the Admin team. There is never a dull day here, as a PA or otherwise, I am constantly learning. I have found PA’s are particularly helpful as a fresh set of eyes when completing projects, and on a daily basis I like to think I learn from them as much as they learn from me.

Rebecca:

As a practice assistant myself, I believe they are extremely beneficial for small businesses. Their duties are aimed to relieve pressure of the clinicians and the administration team alike. This allows for clinicians to have more availability to engage in face-to-face client sessions, and for the administration team to focus on more difficult, time-demanding tasks. Very little resources are required for this role to have desirable outcomes for both the business and the individual undertaking the role, aside from guidance and supervision. This opportunity can lead to employment, as it did for Julia, which is invaluable as you are hiring someone who already knows how the business operates and how to ensure the business runs smoothly.

Q: How are they beneficial for students' experience?

Answer:

Julia:

Personally, I started as a Practice Assistant in my first few weeks of university. So, you could say I’ve never really experienced uni without having Possibilities to go to for support and extra education. And I’ve absolutely raved and ranted to anyone who will listen about what an amazing opportunity the Practice Assistant role is. In my 6 months as a Practice Assistant, I can say with all certainty there was never a dull day. The skills I have gained from this opportunity, and those that came from it, have been irreplaceable. Just to mention a few, I gained the chance to have an insider understanding of day to day practice and logistics of Psychological clinical work that was not taught in my coursework until very recently. Hands on experience with psychoeducation and clinical resources, as well as the opportunity to assist with group programs was an integral part of my decision to further on my tertiary education to involve practicing psychology in a clinical setting.

I never expected to find such a caring, beneficial environment in which to grow my skills (administrative and otherwise), or such an amazing team of mentors. The clinical environment and warmth of Possibilities has absolutely influenced my decisions of what client groups I want to work with when I finish my study, and the kind of professional I want to be. I have such incredible role models in a field where university study does not provide much professional guidance. Not to mention the amazing opportunities for networking within this. It’s invaluable for my future goals.

And I’m not the only one to benefit further! Previous Practice Assistants have gone onto becoming Therapy Assistants both at Possibilities and other locations, with the benefit of gaining irreplaceable experience in one on one therapy with clients. My continued experience at Possibilities has allowed me to gain not only applicable employment experience, but also a workplace full of mentors and an invaluable level of understanding of the day to day workings of Allied Health Services such as Possibilities. Also, Teddy (Therapy Dog) is very cute, and a wonderful co-worker. Since the position was only 6 hrs a week, it was very easy to organise around university.

Rebecca:

This opportunity has gifted me with invaluable skills which not only further my understanding of content being learned at university but will also ultimately set me apart from my peers when it comes to competing for future employment opportunities post-graduation. Hearing concepts previously only discussed in a university setting being used in a professional environment is something which made the opportunity unique and has ultimately increased my learning and understanding of concepts. It is one thing to learn about certain concepts from a textbook or from a lecturer, but the opportunity to experience it hands on in a professional environment is something I believe to be necessary yet is extremely uncommon. Due to the nature of this experience I believe that once I graduate and enter the professional field, I will feel more comfortable in the environment and will be well equipped compared to my peers.

Q: Do you think this opportunity is common?

Answer:

Julia:

Unfortunately not. Especially when I began at Possibilities, we were one of the few businesses to offer such a role. I remembered feeling very lucky when I started here, because it was an incredible role to get straight out of high school, and it was unheard of. I’ve now trained around 3-4 Practice Assistants, and from all reports they feel very similarly. In the recent past, around the last 6 months, I’ve seen a few more small allied health organisations take up the role, but again, very minimally.

Rebecca:

Not at all. Finding an undergraduate opportunity to complement learning, specifically within the field of Psychology, is extremely rare and difficult to come by. When I discuss my role as a Practice Assistant with my peers, they question how I came across the opportunity, and voice that they would like to partake in a similar experience yet are unable to due to lack of opportunity.

Q: Do you think there is a larger need for this opportunity?

Answer:

Julia:

Absolutely. With how invaluable this opportunity has been for myself, and the PA’s I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and mentoring, it’s an absolute shame both for small business and individuals that more aren’t taking this on as an option.

Rebecca:

Absolutely. This is an opportunity where everyone gains something. By employing a practice assistant, businesses are able to relieve pressure off their health professionals and administration team, allowing them to prioritise tasks. The Practice Assistant is allowed hands on experience within their field, complementing their learning and giving them an opportunity, which will aid in their quest to find employment once they have completed their bachelor’s degree.

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Chiu Lau is Principal Psychologist at Possibilities Psychological Services, an award winning, multidisciplinary clinic for children, adolescents, adults and their families based in the heart of Sydney South.

She understands how difficult it can be, navigating various early intervention and mental health services, in order to determine the right one for your family. Book your complimentary 20 minutes chat with Chiu to explore options and possibilities here.