ASHA Certification Research Papers

During my interview with Speech Pathologist, Deborah Kirsch, I learned countless details about the Speech Pathology career field. When we first began talking, I learned that Mrs. Kirsch works out of a company called “Professional Therapy Services”, where she is contracted out to work for “Eunice Smith Nursing Home” which is located in Alton, Illinois. She has been working at this facility for about a year. She is a newly found graduate from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and she graduated in May 2011. Another thing that I learned about Mrs. Kirsch is that she originally did not go to school to become a speech pathologist, this was a career that she found later in life. After she had graduated from SIUE, the first time with a bachelors in Psychiatry, she started working at a nursing home around this area. She came to know a Speech Pathologist that worked there and she quickly found the field very fascinating. She had always been driven to help others, and she witnessed some of the exercises being done with individuals at the nursing home and decided to go back to school to get her masters in Speech Pathology.

There are many requirements that involve education and training, as well as personal requirements and aptitude. To be a Speech Language Pathologist, one must have a sincere interest in helping people, sensitivity, resourcefulness, and imagination. One must also be able to communicate orally and in writing. Michigan Works, an agency that assists with employment, posts jobs that display education and background requirements for obtaining a job as a Speech Language Pathologist. Some requirements include a master’s degree from a speech and hearing program certified by the ASHA, American Speech and Hearing Association, post-certification experience in an institutional setting. Home health experience is also desirable. One must graduate from high school and pass courses in biology, physics, social sciences, English, mathematics, public speaking, language, and psychology. Undergraduate courses should include a strong Arts/Science focus, linguistics, phonetics, anatomy, psychology, human development, biology, physiology, math, physical science, semantics, and social/behavioral science. To be an applicant for an SLP position, a graduate degree is required and also three hundred to three hundred seventy-five hours of clinical experience. Applicants have to pass

My intensive Speech Language Pathology coursework at California State University- Fresno has provided me with the skills to implement treatment plans, assist during speech and language assessments, and keep formal documentation of client’s progress in speech therapy. These are the necessary skills required to be an effective Speech Language Pathology Assistant and will make me as asset to have in the school speech setting.

The qualities I possess to make me a successful speech language pathologist include compassion, open-mindedness, knowing how to be a team player and how to live out the FISH philosophy which is an approach dealing with workplace issues. Compassion is important to have in order to be patient with my future clients. Throughout my college years, I served on the executive council for my sorority for two years as Vice President of Member Development. While sitting in those meetings, I learned how to be open-minded to others’ opinions on certain topics being discussed. I also had to meet with people who were having a hard time maintaining good membership status. Sitting down and talking to those individuals taught me to be objective about the individual’s circumstance and to be as fair as possible. Not only does a speech language pathologist need to be skilled in speech treatment but also with counseling the parents and loved ones of the client who feel hopeless and helpless. Being empathetic helps create a trusting relationship between the clinician, client and family. Another quality of a great speech pathologist is being able to be a team player. Most cases require the collaboration of the speech pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, schoolteacher, paraprofessional, orthodontist, audiologists, and social services to

The career of speech pathology offers many opportunities in a variety of different settings. For those who are willing to tackle the challenge of advanced education and have a passion for working with others, speech pathology could be a great career choice. Through my individual research and interaction with other Speech Pathologists,

There are some required courses that need to be taken. ‘Graduate programs often include courses in speech and language development, age-specific speech disorders, alternative communication methods, and swallowing disorders’ (Education, www.bls.gov, 2015). To legally start working as a speech pathologist, one must obtain a license which requires a master’s degree as well as s supervised clinical experience. American Speech-Language-Hearing-Association offers a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP). If a speech pathologist wishes to work in a school environment, they must obtain an additional teaching certificate. (Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations, www.bls.gov,

My immediate professional goals are to graduate from Truman State University with my Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Disorders, and then attend a graduate program to start my formal education to become an occupational therapist. My long term professional goal is to become a compassionate and knowledgeable OT, always looking to improve and further my working knowledge. My educational background is unique but also beneficial to becoming a well rounded occupational therapist. Knowing the fundamentals of speech and hearing science, I will be able to communicate more effectively with patients, as those who are receiving OT are often receiving speech therapy. It also gives me insight into the scope of practice for SLPs, providing me with the means to bring a well rounded and knowledgeable approach to a

Interprofessional collaboration is an important component in any health care. According to the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) Code of Ethics, Individuals shall uphold the dignity and autonomy of the professions, maintain collaborative and harmonious interprofessional and intraprofessional relationships, and accept the professions’ self-imposed standards (ASHA, 2016). With this in mind, it is our duty as future speech-language pathologist (SLPs) to adhere to this principle. Clinicians should utilize every resource available to assist his/her client. This even includes if the client needs a referral to a different specialist.

Since Audiology is a self-referral service there is separate MSA to handle the Audiology phone line. Currently, a Work Study is manning the Audiology phone lines and monitoring the Audiology voicemails. This position is currently open and is in the recruitment process and expect to be conducting interviews and have the position filled within 30-45 days. Additionally, the Work Study and the MSA’s stagger lunches and breaks to ensure phone coverage throughout

There are hundreds of career paths and options, which can be overwhelming and exciting. I have looked into many possibilities and wanted to talk to a speech pathologist about their career and responsibilities. Speech pathologists, also known as speech-language pathologists or speech therapists, help individuals with a multitude of disorders, associated with swallowing, speech, and language. They can work in schools, hospitals, specialty clinics, or through private practice. I chose to interview Sherri Anderson, a speech pathologist for Rock Creek Elementary School in the Beaverton School District in Oregon. Ms. Anderson originally got a degree in English, and worked for a bookstore for a decade before going back to school to become a speech

As an undergraduate student, one of my requirements is to have clinical hours. I assist and observe the graduate students when needed. I believe this gives me more of an insight of what a clinical setting looks like. After observing during the semester, I understood the skill set and the drive an individual needs to become a successful speech pathologist. I was inspired to help individuals with speech and language disorders, understand their disorder and achieve more effective communication skills in educational and social settings.

After practicing for over twenty years as a Speech Language Pathology Assistant, I have gained many skills and qualifications. I am a motivated self-starter, and licensed to practice in Idaho and Oregon. Working as an SLP-A has allowed me to be well versed in IDEA, and special education programs. My knowledge and proficiency have enabled me to perform therapy, follow directions, maintain daily notes, and assist with progress notes. I have been involved in various speech screenings in the schools. My experience is with a multitude of supervisors working with clients from pre-kindergarten to geriatric, both in group sessions and 1:1. In these sessions I have worked with to name a few articulation, fluency, expressive/receptive language,

Through each session I target each students needs through daily lesson plans created from the goals assigned by the licensed speech pathologist. I feel it is important to build a strong relationship that has a powerful effect on the students therapy progress, so I attempt to put myself in my students' shoes. It is important that I am compassionate, empathetic, and supportive to their needs. There is a quote by BJ Gallagher that states: “The land of opportunity is an attitude. It is an openness to new ideas, a willingness to listen, an eagerness to learn, a desire to grow, and the flexibility to change.” This quote reminds me why I love this career.

Surprisingly, I discovered that jobs for speech-language pathologists are projected to grow nationwide in the next few years. I found that there is a high demand for speech therapists, because of the increase of older people there will be more instances of certain health conditions, such as strokes and dementia, which can cause speech or language issues. The increased awareness of speech disorders in younger children and children with autism will also create more job opportunities for speech-language pathologists. The job outlook for speech-language pathologists is favorable in the years to come.

My dream job is to become a speech pathologist, specifically for children who suffer from speech impediments and stutters, or even for patients who have suffered from strokes or other traumatic experiences. If I was given the opportunity to job shadow a speech pathologist, I would prepare myself by expecting to encounter patients of any age and I would build confidence before-hand so perhaps I could attempt to communicate with them for some personal practice. I would develop questions which could allow me to converse with patients of any age. I would also formulate questions I’ve always had curiosity about in the field of speech pathology. The first question I would ask is: “What is the biggest struggle that comes along with your career?”.