Advice for future SLP/SLPA
Hello! My name is Alicia Barragan and I am a senior at Cal State Fullerton. I have an interest in fluency disorders, and want to know how the journey for others SLPs and SLPAs has been? I am currently in the process of applying to grad school, but I don’t see many universities offering this specialty. Any advice for a future clinician interested in stuttering?
Dear Alicia,
HI! Thanks for writing and congrats on being a senior and looking toward your future and an SLP.
If you are interesting in stuttering, first find a graduate program that has a full course in stuttering. Also, do you research and see how is teaching stuttering course and reach out to that person and ask questions.
The truth is stuttering is a low incidence population for SLPs. Also, graduate school is to get you a broad education to make you generalist. So if you want to dive further into the field of stuttering, you will do that more after school. Which is what CEUs are for and this is exciting!
There a MANY great schools who have wonderful people teaching stuttering courses that will get you a great foundation in graduate school. Then you can take that foundation to spring from and keep learning.
When you talk to the teachers at graduate schools, ask them what experience a graduate student might have with PWS. Some might have more opportunities than others.
Does that help?
Thanks for asking questions!
With compassion and kindness,
Scott
Alicia,
Hi! Thanks so much for answering this question to the professional panel. I second my colleague Scott’s response in the recommendation to ask the graduate school program representatives/instructors about their stuttering coursework. Also, as you are looking at graduate programs, make sure they have a Fluency Disorders (it’s usually calling this, or it may be called Stuttering and Cluttering or something like that) course, as some programs do not or it is combined with another class. It is so exciting that this is an area that you are interested in serving, and I am so excited for you to be entering into studies for this amazing field!
Thanks,
Steff