Why speech pathology as a careers

So, is speech pathology a good career? For most, the answer is a resounding yes! Speech-language pathologist is a broad job title that includes working with clients with speech delays, speech disorders, or those who have difficulty:. When possible, they are even involved with interventions meant to prevent these kinds of problems before they start. SLPs work with children and adults of nearly every age who have speech and language difficulties as a result of premature birth, injury, illness, surgery, or dementia.

The work of SLPs also extends to aural rehabilitation for clients who are deaf or hard of hearing. SLPs are also involved with providing augmentative and alternative communication ACC systems for clients who are largely nonverbal. Aided systems can be rather basic a board with letters, words, or pictures on it that the client can point to or advanced high-tech systems that include speech-generating boards.

Speech-language therapy is usually part of a collaborative, interdisciplinary care plan that includes working with other professionals like behavior therapists, social workers, teachers, physicians, psychologists, audiologists, and physical and occupational therapists.

While the majority of SLPs treat clients with specific disorders, some will specialize in areas like professional voice development, accent or dialect modification, and transgender voice modification. In specialty hospitals e. Their work in residential facilities, such as nursing homes, is largely focused on functional skills needed to achieve or regain independence, so SLP therapy in these settings is usually longer-term than those provided in hospital settings.

SLPs providing services in the home are usually employed by home healthcare agencies and may work as part of state-funded early intervention programs. In these settings, SLPs enjoy more control over their careers, which includes managing their own schedules and caseloads, choosing a specialty, and increasing their earning power.

The answer is a big, resounding, yes! Even with , SLPs practicing throughout the US as of May according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, another 45, are expected to graduate with the right credentials and join the workforce in the ten-year period leading up to For example, while you might work in an educational facility such as a school, you can just as easily pursue a career in a nursing or residential facility, a hospital, a clinic, or private practice.

Speech-language pathology requires not only a drive to help others but also the ability to understand key medical and scientific concepts and technologies. If health, medicine, science, and technology interest you, then this field allows you to put that interest into action every day of your career. If, after asking yourself these questions, you have decided that speech-language pathology is not the right career for you, there is still good news.

Many other fulfilling careers provide many of the same rewards. If you are primarily motivated by a drive to make a difference in the lives of others, for example, you might pursue a career in counseling , occupational therapy, nursing, other careers in the field of allied health, or education.

Each of these career paths will empower you to improve the lives of others, whether they be your patients or your students, while also providing competitive salaries and job stability. If you instead found yourself agreeing with the discussion points above, then a career in speech-language pathology could be right for you.

Such a career will offer you the flexibility to work in various settings and with diverse patient populations while earning competitive pay and making a real difference for your patients. This final piece—a passion for helping others—is often the key determining reason why someone chooses to go into the field.

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Plus receive relevant career tips and grad school advice. Subscribe By providing us with your email, you agree to the terms of our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Return to Blog Homepage. Do you have a passion for helping others? Must possess the ability to apply principles of logic and strategic thinking to a wide range of problems, and to deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables.

Must possess effective written and verbal communication skills. Must possess the ability to identify referral growth opportunities. Demonstrated ability to interact with the healthcare team, coworkers, supervisors, and all members of the Corporate Management Team. Active participation with health care industry professional organizations is preferred.

May in the course of their job duties be in rooms where medications are stored. No contact with medications is allowed. Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances: CCC Certificate of Clinical Competency or meet the educational requirements for certification and be in the process of completing his or her Clinical Fellowship year. Act 33 and 73 clearances are required. CPR is required based on AHA standards that include both a didactic and skills demonstration component within 30 days of hire.

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