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Diploma · national qualification
Diploma of Practice Management
This diploma is for people who run, or want to run, a small to medium health practice such as a medical centre, dental surgery or allied health clinic.
- How long it takes
- 2 years
- full time at TAFE NSW
- What it costs
- From $6,855
- Subsidised at TAFE Queensland, full fee up to $10,575
- How you can study
- Online or on campus
- Includes a work placement
- Main job
- Practice Manager
- $86,100 median pay
- Taught by
- 5 providers
- Every state and territory
Is this course right for you?
What the Diploma of Practice Management asks of you, and what you might want to check first.
It helps to have
- an interest in the business side of healthcare
- comfort with numbers, budgets and billing tasks
- an interest in legal and ethical obligations
- patience for managing staff and patients
Before you start
N/A
Where this course can take you
Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.
Jobs you can do with it
Practice Manager
A practice manager runs the business side of a medical or allied health clinic, looking after the money, the staff and the compliance so the clinicians can get on with patient care.
What else you need
Complete the qualification and its stated entry and workplace requirements; check employer-specific requirements.
Median pay$86,100
Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list.
What it costs
Subsidised place
From $6,855
at TAFE Queensland. Whether you get a subsidised place depends on your state, residency, age and earlier study.
Paying the full fee
$10,575
across the TAFEs listed below. Private providers set their own fees.
| TAFE | State | Subsidised | Concession | Full fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAFE Queensland | QLD | $6,855 | $5,730 | $10,575 |
TAFE QueenslandQLD
- Subsidised
- $6,855
- Concession
- $5,730
- Full fee
- $10,575
Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, read 20 September 2026. Private providers set their own fees.
Where you can study this course
There are 5 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.
- Course page for TAFE NSW (opens in a new tab)
TAFE NSW
Online Campus, NSW
4.0from 2,410 Google reviews
- How you study
- Online
- How long
- 2 years
What students like
- Teachers are supportive and ready to help
- Staff are helpful and friendly
- Course content is practical and industry relevant
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Some find front desk staff less helpful
- Course page for TAFE Queensland (opens in a new tab)
TAFE Queensland
30 campuses, QLD
4.1from 2,040 Google reviews
- How you study
- Online or on campus
- Fee
- From $6,855 subsidised
What students like
- Teachers are helpful and supportive
What to weigh up
- Poor communication from admin
- Website for Vaccho (opens in a new tab)
Vaccho
Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc., VIC
5.0from 6 Google reviews
- Website for UQ Skills (opens in a new tab)
UQ Skills
5 campuses, QLD
4.5from 1,654 Google reviews
- Website for AMA Training Services (opens in a new tab)
AMA Training Services
What you’ll learn
15 units: 10 that everyone takes and 5 you choose.
- Medical terminology
- Health billing and accounting
- Budgets and financial planning
- Legal and ethical compliance
- Managing staff performance
- Infection control and safety
See all 10 core units
Core units
Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.
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Questions to ask before you enrol
Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.
- When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
- What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
- Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
- Who arranges the work placement, and how many hours does it involve?
- Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?
Questions people ask
Who is this qualification for?
It is for people who run, or want to run, a small to medium health practice such as a medical centre, dental surgery or allied health clinic. It prepares you for the business side of practice management, including billing, budgets, compliance, infection control, work health and safety, staff and patient management, and medical terminology. Roles it leads to include Medical Administrator and Practice Manager.
Do I need experience or other qualifications first?
The qualification itself has no entry requirements, though individual providers can set their own conditions. Check with the provider you choose before enrolling.