Purpose of the Tool

To assist allied health professionals to identify their current level of research skills and experience against the five domains of the Allied Health Research Careers Development Framework. This tool is designed to be used both independently and in collaboration with your leader or manager to support performance development and career planning, and to identify opportunities to contribute your research capabilities in ways that align with organisational needs and strategic priorities.

How to Use the Tool

This tool consists of 5 domains. Under each domain there are a number of capability statements. Please select the rating that best reflects your current level of research capability/experience for each statement. Once you have completed all sections, a summary report will be generated.

Rating Scale

Level	Description
1 - No proficiency	May have some awareness of the area but no experience or skill in the area and no ability to demonstrate capability.
2 - Emerging proficiency	Gaining experience in the described knowledge and skills and starting to apply that knowledge to research activities and tasks. Requires support or mentoring to achieve outcomes.
3 - Consolidating proficiency	Furthering skills and knowledge and can complete research activities or tasks independently. Requires guidance to deliver complex or advanced levels of activity or tasks.
4 - Advanced proficiency	Becoming an expert in skill and knowledge required to demonstrate behaviour or activity. Able to apply skills and knowledge across a range of contexts and integrate expertise across domains. Able to support others in learning and applying knowledge, skills, and behaviour.
5 - Expert proficiency	Acknowledged leader with in-depth knowledge and demonstrated strategic leadership in the area of knowledge, skill, or behaviour. Integrates, evaluates, and adapts knowledge, skills, or behaviour at an advanced level.

61 questions across 5 domains · approximately 10–15 minutes

My Capability Profile

Next Steps: Actioning Your Results

As you reflect on your capability profile, please remember that it is not necessary or expected to achieve high proficiency across every domain. Professional development is a targeted process, and you do not need to address every area for improvement simultaneously.

To effectively translate your self-assessment into actionable growth, consider the following next steps:

Focus your efforts: Select one to three specific development areas to prioritise. Ensure these focus areas are relevant to the direction you want your career to take, your current role requirements, and the broader strategic needs of your service.

Set SMART goals: To create a focused and relevant professional growth plan, translate your chosen development areas into SMART goals. Ensure each goal is:

Specific: Clear and unambiguous, so you know exactly what you are working towards.
Measurable: Quantifiable or observable, allowing you to track progress and know when the goal has been achieved.
Achievable: Realistic and attainable within your current role, resources, and time constraints.
Relevant: Aligned with your research career aspirations and the operational needs of your organisation.
Time-bound: Tied to a clearly defined timeline, including specific starting and target completion dates.

Collaborate with leadership: We strongly encourage you to discuss your self-assessment and development plan with your line manager, allied health leader, or a trusted research mentor. Collaborative planning will provide additional perspectives, help refine your strategies, and ensure you can agree on appropriate and meaningful opportunities to contribute your unique capabilities to your service.

Develop an Individual Action Plan: To formalise your development journey, we recommend developing a written individual action plan in collaboration with your leader or mentor. This should outline the specific activities, timelines, and resources needed to achieve your SMART goals, and establish shared commitment to your development. Download the Individual Action Plan template to get started.

Allied Health Research Careers Development Framework Self-Assessment Tool

Purpose of the Tool

How to Use the Tool

Rating Scale

My Capability Profile

Understanding Your Self-Assessment Profile

Next Steps: Actioning Your Results