2022 Talk to a Professional
Hello! My name is Genesis Melgar. I am in my last year as an undergrad communicative disorders major. I am working towards becoming a bilingual speech-language pathologist! With grad school coming my way, in your honest- professional opinion, do you think it would be wise to be an SLPA for a few years, to get experience before I go to grad school? Or do you suggest going straight to grad school because I’ll get experience there too? Your response would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Dear Genesis,
HI! What a great name and great question. There is wonderful value in experiences we have. I would not be the SLP I am without all of the experience I have had in my life with clients, families, students, peers, and more. Choosing to put off graduate school to get experience as an SLPA is one path way and not bad, good, right or wrong path. If you want some real life experience before you dive into an intense learning situation like graduate school, go for it. If you want to dive into graduate school, and more important if you PERSONALLY think you are ready, then go to graduate school.
That is perhaps not the answer you want, but there is not one answer to this question. This is a matter of comfort and feeling ready to go. Teaching in higher education for many years I have seen hundreds of students go through graduate school. Most are ready for school and if they are not, they are ready when they leave. Some are not ready and I wished they had more time to get more experiences. It really is a personally preference.
Now, if it was up to me (and it is not, but this is me thinking big), I hope ASHA would follow the ways of PT and OT and make our graduate education a clinical doctorate. That way we get students more education (which is needed since our field keeps growing with content) and more experiences. This would also put a larger value on SLPAs (which they are so important!!).
Does that help?
Be you. Be well!
With compassion and kindness,
Scott
Hi Scott!
Thank you so much for the kind and informative response. It does give me a sense of clarity on the best thing to do for my individual journey in this amazing career.
I also hope ASHA ultimately decides to make our graduate education a clinical doctorate, it would be very beneficial.
With that in mind, I think I am leaning more toward the path of an SLPA before graduate school, and your response truly validates and encourages my decision. I think it’s the best choice to gather further knowledge and experience in order to succeed in grad school. Thank you so much, truly.
Sincerely,
Genesis