How to make a career change into the healthcare industry

Navigating a career change requires courage, determination and passion, as Grace Hermocilla and Chloe Hilaire’s journeys show us. Studying Chinese Medicine and Clinical Nutrition respectively, education plays a pivotal role in Grace and Chloe’s move into the field of health care. Completing the Diploma of Health Science paved the way for their successful progression into the Bachelor of Health Science.

Grace's career transition from finance to Chinese medicine

Grace Hermocilla's transition from her role in the finance sector to studying Chinese Medicine began with months of exploration, as she worked out what she most wanted to do with her life. Her desire for a more purposeful career led her overseas where she taught English and then took up humanitarian work. The redundancy that followed became a catalyst for her career change, and with the guidance of a career coach, she decided to pursue the Diploma of Health Science.

Grace Hermocilla

The diploma, Grace says, equipped her with foundational knowledge and served as a springboard into the Bachelor of Health Science in Chinese Medicine. It provided her with a practical understanding of the Health sector, allowed for a smooth transition into her new field, and gave her the confidence to study Chinese medicine at a higher academic level.

‘When I decided to explore roles in health care, I went to an open day at Torrens University to find out about their Natural Health courses,’ says Grace. ‘On that day I learnt about aspects of Chinese medicine, and I realised that its philosophy and everything about Chinese medicine made sense to me.’

Chloe's career transition from hospitality to clinical nutrition

Chloe Hilaire's culinary expertise underwent a metamorphosis into Clinical Nutrition, and her journey also began with a Diploma of Health Science. With a decade of culinary experience, Chloe sought a deeper connection with food and health.

Chloe Hilaire

‘After working in overseas in Spanish kitchens for five years, I knew I wanted to study more about the benefits of food rather than just the taste, texture and presentation.’

The diploma offered her a comprehensive introduction to the Health Sciences and laid the groundwork for her studies in the Bachelor of Health Science in Clinical Nutrition.

Chloe explains that the diploma broadened her perspective and enhanced her credibility when pursuing the bachelor degree. It built a bridge between her culinary background and the skills and practices of Clinical Nutrition, giving her a competitive edge in the job market and a solid foundation for advanced studies.

‘Some amazing roles come from the Health Science courses, especially as a nutritionist. I have seen alumni create their own health and wellbeing businesses, be guest speakers at events and symposiums, and run health retreats, to name just a few of the possibilities that are open to you when you complete your studies,’ Chloe explains.

The advantages of choosing a Diploma when transitioning careers

Both Grace Hermocilla and Chloe Hilaire attribute their successful and rewarding career transitions into the Health sector to the foundational knowledge, practical skills and confidence they gained as students in the year-long diploma course. It also gave them a strategic advantage, because as Diploma of Health Science graduates they were eligible to transfer one year of credits towards Torrens University Australia’s Bachelor of Health Science. For all graduates from this diploma course, these credits can reduce the length and cost of the bachelor degree, and save them from having to take subjects that cover the same topics that they studied in the diploma course.

Reflecting on her career choice, Chloe says, ‘Health is a great sector to study as you can implement all that you learn into your own life.’

Grace explains why she made the career move from financial auditor to health care: ‘For me, the ability to achieve a work-life balance, start my own business and make a decent salary, find creativity in my job, and combine office work with my clinical practice and, most importantly, working with patients and a passion to treat people naturally were all the reasons why I chose to study and move into the Health sector.’

Chloe and Grace agree that their studies in the Diploma of Health Science fuelled their passion for working in the Health industry and motivated them to keep learning. Their experiences illuminate the transformative power of education, demonstrating that diplomas can be instrumental in paving the way for a successful career change into the dynamic field of Health.

‘As you study, focus on the end goal and that will really help you,’ says Grace. ‘All the subjects are stepping stones towards what you really want to do.’