Certificate III in Pathology Assistance

Entry requirements

There are no formal entry requirements for this course.

Selection criteria

This qualification has no formal entry requirements however TAFE Queensland has the following selection criteria:
• Completion of Year 10 or equivalent; and
• Skills in gathering and communicating information equivalent to Senior English will be required to successfully complete this program.
• The minimum age for enrolment is 18 years, due to vocational placement.
• Physically fit to be able to stand for long periods of time

Placement

IMPORTANT NOTICE: 
While TAFE Queensland will make every effort to minimise disruption to study, the current COVID-19 pandemic situation and subsequent restriction of access to some health care facilities during this time, may cause delays with vocational placement and completion of this course.

Future students are advised that access to public and private health facilities or organisations in your State for vocational placement assessment may require evidence of commencement or full vaccination for COVID-19.

If you are not currently employed or volunteering in industry, during your course you will be required to complete vocational placement so you can apply your new skills in a real-world environment. You’ll be required to work shifts determined by your placement provider, and these can include early mornings or late nights, any day of the week, including public holidays. TAFE Queensland will source and allocate suitable placement.

Completing placement is compulsory, and you will be expected to manage family and work commitments in order to complete your shifts.

Please note: prior to placement you will need to obtain an Australian Federal Police check.

f your police check identifies that you have a criminal history, you may be disqualified from being eligible to undertake placement and assessment, which would affect your course outcomes. If you think this might impact you, please speak to the relevant Vocational Placement Coordinator for further information.

Queensland Health requires students placed in their facilities to provide evidence that they have been vaccinated for the vaccine-preventable diseases of Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella and Pertussis, Tetanus and Diphtheria and Influenza. You will not be able to commence Vocational Placement in a Queensland Health facility unless you have provided the following evidence:

• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR): Minimum two doses. You must provide evidence of immunity (provide a serology/blood test result indicating immunity) or evidence of a minimum of two documented doses (vaccinations) of MMR at least one month apart.
• Hepatitis B: Minimum two doses. You must provide evidence of immunity against Hep B (provide a serology/blood test result) indicating immunity or if you have not been previously been vaccinated for the full course (3 doses) provide evidence of a minimum of two doses of Hep B and in addition provide a serology/blood test report showing where your immunity levels sit after the minimum two doses.
• Varicella (Chicken Pox): Minimum one dose. You must provide documented history of vaccination or evidence of immunity (serology/blood test report).
• Pertussis, Diphtheria and Tetanus: One dose. You must provide documented history of one adult dose of dTpa within the past ten years (pathology reports are not acceptable evidence for pertussis).
• Influenza vaccination is required as is seasonally available.

The above documentation must be supplied by week six (6) of the course. Failure to provide the above evidence will result in cancellation of placement. 

You will be responsible for any costs associated with meeting these placement requirements.

Further information will be provided to you at orientation.

Need to know

For all students who are undertaking courses that include Vocational Placements in a high risk workplace, Queensland Health has directed that students must declare your COVID-19 Vaccination status and evidence to either TAFE Queensland or the placement provider. 

This may require you providing us or the placement provider information on:

• Your vaccinate status
• Last date of vaccination
• Evidence of vaccine status

Where this information will be collected as part of your application and / or enrolment process.  Any data collected will be managed under the TAFE Queensland Privacy Policy.

This requirement is in place for all students in affected courses, including TAFE at School students.

Those students who have a medical contraindication may be unable to complete the vocational placement component of their course. This means you may not be able to meet all of the requirements of your course and may not be able to graduate or receive your qualification.

If you have any questions or concerns with this requirement, please contact our COVID hotline on 07 3307 4789.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: 
While TAFE Queensland will make every effort to minimise disruption to study, the current COVID-19 pandemic situation and subsequent restriction of access to some health care facilities during this time, may cause delays with vocational placement and completion of this course.

Future students are advised that access to public and private health facilities or organisations in your State for vocational placement assessment may require evidence of commencement or full vaccination for COVID-19.