Any speech pathologists/therapists/etc out there?

NewFamily09

If so, I'd just like to hear a little bit about what you do for a living, where you work (hospital, school, private practice, etc), how you like your job, etc.  I taught kindergarten and first grade for several years and I had an undergraduate degree in communications (but not communication disorders).  I'm about to start my master's in speech pathology.  I should be done the year DS1 starts kindergarten.  The only experience I have is with school speech teachers, which I think would be a fun setting.  I love working with children but am open to working in any setting and with adults or people with special needs too.  One thing I've wondered- I saw a documentary recently about people who had been deaf and then gotten the cochlear implants.  Would a speech pathologist be someone who would teach those people to talk?  Because that sounds so fascinating to me.  Anyway, also are there any jobs that people can get hired for before their certified, like while they are working on their master's?

saraboston

I'm a medical SLP. My primary pt population is teach/vent patients, but I also work some with stroke, TBI, &voice. I'm in a hospital. I knew from the beginning that working with kids was not for me, so I really focused my grad program (classes and clinical placements) on adults. But, I worked on a large research study of language development of deaf children--many of whom had CIs. It was really interesting, and yes, the SLP's role is huge in therapy with those kiddos.

For jobs, unless you do a GA, it's not likely you'll have much time to work during school. Once you graduate, it's best to go right into your CF. 

kerribear1717

Hi there.  I'm a speech path.  I currently work in the schools but coinscidence found me here.  I started working in a nursing home/rehab center.

There are lots of different types of settings.  Your masters program will probably make you work in several of them before graduating.  I had a different undergrad degree and went back to get a 2nd BA in comm disorders because it was so much back work why not have the paper that says you did it.  I'm assuming you'll be in a program in NC, I did mine at UCF in FL.  So things may be different in places.

As far as I know no place really hires you without your masters.  In FL they used to hire you in the school setting if you were enrolled in a masters program and you had to finish in like 5 years or something.  It sucked for them because they had to take all full time classes over the summer to make up for everything. 

Some different settings ... I interned in a hospital.  I loved working there but I've found those jobs are hard to come by.  You could work for early intervention programs (usually birth to age 3).  Private practices, rehab centers, contract work they put you anywhere.  You could work with deaf education.  My MIL is a speech path too.  She's deaf ed certified and works with deaf ed high school students.  She's fluent in sign language to accomate all the kid's needs.  Some will talk, other do not. 

You can PM me if you want any more info (if I can give it)