Essay: A Career As A Speech-Language Pathologist

When undergoing the professional training needed to practice as a speech-language pathologist (SLP), we pride ourselves in “achieving and maintaining the highest level of professional competence and performance (ASHA Code of Ethics, 2016).” Even with the many clinical hours needed as a graduate student and the additional hours needed as a clinical fellow (CF), there are some areas in the scope of practice of an SLP one might not gain experience in. When applying for our first jobs in our field, SLPs should feel comfortable with the potential clientele we will be working with.

More importantly, the clinical practicum has solidified my love for speech pathology. To explain, I love working with my client on his goals and planning new activities for the therapy session. It has been extremely rewarding to witness his progress on his goals this semester. I look forward to enrolling in the two remaining clinical practicums and experiencing new clients and

I plan on pursuing a career as a speech-language pathologist (SLP). As a speech language pathologist, I would be assessing, diagnosing, treating, and helping to prevent communication and swallowing disorders in patients. As a result for my passion to work with children, I became highly interested in psychology and child advocacy. I believe all three fields are interrelated because they share a common interest to understand the basic needs of a child. In addition, these fields help assess the influence of family and other social contexts on children’s’ socio-emotional adjustment, cognitive development, behavioral adaptation and health status. One of the reasons, I decided to pursue a career involving advocating for children, is because children always fascinated me. One of my inspirations is my younger cousin who suffers from hypotonia, which is a poor-muscle tone disorder. Therefore, it affects muscle strength, motor nerves and the brain. As he got older, he needed a SLP to help with the muscles associated with articulation. Before then, I didn’t know much about speech pathology, but I can appreciate the career because I saw how speech therapy helped my cousin. In a professional experience, I am currently volunteering in the Alder Aphasia center in West Orange, helping individuals with aphasia, practice speech therapy. As a result for volunteering, I plan to become a member of the NJ SHA multicultural committee advocating for children and

I am applying to the Speech and Language Pathology Master’s program for the Fall of 2017. While earning my undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Missouri State University, I worked the night shift as an Admissions Clerk at a local hospital, nannied, and I am currently teaching at the Goddard School for Early Childhood Development. It is through these work experiences that I have gained valuable knowledge about the importance of communication, development and education.

For my research I have chosen to discuss the key role of a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP). Speech Language Pathologists can best be recognized as qualified practitioners that identify, diagnose and treat communicative disorders (Serpanos & Senzer, 2015). There are two types of disorders that a SLP can be used for: speech disorder and language disorder. A speech disorder can best be described as a person that has trouble producing sounds correctly or fluently. A language disorder is recognized as someone who has trouble expressing thoughts, feelings and ideas through speech. SLP’s are taught how to treat each pf these disorders.

Speech-language pathologists, also known as speech therapists, assess, diagnose, treat, and help to control communication and swallowing disorders in patients. Speech-language pathologists try to find out the level of difficulty of their speech, language, or swallowing disorder, and see what type of treatment is needed. They also have to plan the treatments to the patients’ needs. If the patient has swallowing problems then the pathologist has to help the patient strength the muscles that they used to swallow. Then the most important thing a speech pathologist does is that they talk to the patient and their family on how they can help with the communication and swallowing disorder.

Like all jobs there is a certain amount of education that an employee must complete in order to get the job he or she is wishing to do. Specifically, speech and language pathologists go through getting there bachelors and masters degree (“Speech Language Pathologist - Career Profile” 1). Before even entering the world of college people aspiring to practice this job should take english, public speaking, physiology, social sciences, math, and biology classes (“Careers in Speech-Pathology” 3).

The student writing this personal statement will not be the same student a week, month or year from now. This is due to my commitment to continual personal and professional growth and development. This commitment to life long learning, as well as my passion for helping people, is the why behind every single one of my waking moments. I look forward to a career in Speech Language Pathology because the profession is constantly evolving and there is always more to learn. I look forward to staying current and developing mentoring relationships within the profession, as well as developing strong bonds within the community.

Educational standards for American public school system children who struggle with various communication disorders cannot be maintained without an increase in the number of school-based Speech Language Pathologists. While the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public school staffing of Speech Language Pathologists, access to such services continues to be compromised by the ongoing shortage of these school-based specialists. I have been inspired to apply to Speech Language Pathology graduate school partly because of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's efforts to lessen the shortage; without trained Speech Language Pathologists, children cannot receive the care ensured to them by IDEA.

Often, I am asked why I want to become a Speech-Language-Pathologist. My answer is always the same. In my opinion, having the opportunity and privilege to help someone with the way they communicate with the world, the way they express themselves, and make sense of the world around them will be my greatest achievement in life. What my educational goal is? Well, I want to become the best SLP I can possibly be. I plan to graduate with a 4.0 GPA, top of my class. In addition, it is important to me to expand my horizons during my academic career through research, community involvement, and giving back. Everything I will do in my remaining academic career will lead me to people who need my help and relay on it. It may sound naive, but I plan to make

Per the previous section, there is a multitude of knowledge that speech pathologists should have, and a significant amount of skills to acquire, thus a lot of education and experience is needed. Getting started in one’s undergraduate education, individuals should consider that there is no required degree, (although prerequisite work may be required) but the most common majors include communication sciences and disorders or cognitive science and linguistics. After acquiring a bachelor’s degree in one of the aforementioned areas,

Good interpersonal skills, the ability to take another person's perspective, and problem solving are crucial characteristics for a speech language pathologist. An article from the Journal of Nursing Education titled, “The Teaching Effectiveness of Standardized Patience,” demonstrated that interpersonal skills have overwhelmingly “positive, creative and meaningful results” in clinical environments (Becker, 2006). I am a powerful and positive Puerto Rican woman who is direct, uses I-statements, and possesses the characteristics needed for a speech language pathologist. I have always been quite comfortable with complex group dynamics, conflict management, collaboration, and all the varying degrees of human interaction. I have witnessed and experienced birth, death, trauma and joy throughout my college and post college career.

Before I majored in linguistics, I was not aware that such career existed, and I believe that it applies to many people who are not studying related field and that is part of the reasons why I want to pursue my degree in communication disorder. When I took a class for language and communication disorder class, I conducted a survey where I asked several people on campus if they knew about aphasia, and not surprisingly, many people have never heard of the word aphasia. Many people do not even know what speech pathologist is and what they do. After I complete my degree or even while I am studying, I want to spread the awareness of language and communication disorder, and the existence of speech pathologists, so that individuals with communication disorder can seek help

A speech-language pathologist’s job is to assess, diagnose, treat, and help prevent communication and swallowing disorders in patients. The typical salary for a speech-language pathologist is around $73,410 a year (“Speech”). To enter into this career field, a master's degree is required. Speech pathology has many benefits, including a variety of work environments, working with diverse patients, the ability to be self-employed, the relationships built with patients, and so on. The type of work settings a speech pathologist could work in are public schools, hospitals, home health, and private practice. In school’s speech pathologists work with

Speech Language Pathologist was not my first choice for a career path but my decision came after analyzing many factors in my life. Given that I was not longer able to fulfill m y dream of becoming a Pediatrician I had to venture on what other options were available. But one thing that was for sure was that it had to be within the medical field. On the condition that any career in the medical field involves caring for someone I can say that is why if decided to become a Speech Language Pathologist. Not only do I care for others but I also want to help them achieve healing or progress. Another major factor that aid me to choose this career path was that working in hospitals and clinics will expose my husband. Let me elaborate on that, mu husband