Happy or Bored/Unhappy?

[hydrogonian]

Im thinking of becoming an SLP. Unfortunately, there isnt much activity on any SLP forum to get all of the subjective and objective information that I need to make an informed choice. One of the most important factors in this choice is gauging the average degree of career satisfaction in the field.

So, considering any and all aspects of your career and work, are you happy and emotionally engaged with your work, bored/ambivelant about the work, or downright unhappy with your career choice?

Why?

What would you change or have done differently?

What are your future plans?

Thanks

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[hydrogonian]

Seven hundred and nine people viewed this post, and not one response...

I guess that speaks to the fact that no active professionals view this board, and it really is all prospective students. My mistake.. it is a student's forum, after all..

Its a shame that there isn't really a high traffic professional SLP forum anywhere on the net.

 

[eardocsavvy]

Wow. Simply, Wow. Seven hundred and nine people viewed this post, and not one response!

I guess that speaks to the fact that no active professionals view this board, and it really is all prospective students. My Mistake!

Its a shame that there isn't really a high traffic professional SLP forum anywhere on the net.

I personally wouldnt start here I would start by asking professionals in the field or at a University with a PhD program. I know that by starting there you actually have professionals telling you the pros and cons to the profession. I graduated with an undergraduate in Speech Pathology and Audiology. I did not choose speech pathology for the main reason of therapy. I do not want to do therapy for a long time (depending on which case I am doing therapy for) and see little result. I also am not incredibly fond of children and doing language and articulation therapy just was not my thing. But I think to make an informed decision you should ask professionals in the field. Start at a university or a school therapist. Thanks! Hope this helps!

 

[RemiJP]

Wow. Simply, Wow. Seven hundred and nine people viewed this post, and not one response!

I guess that speaks to the fact that no active professionals view this board, and it really is all prospective students. My Mistake!

Its a shame that there isn't really a high traffic professional SLP forum anywhere on the net.

www.asha.org has a member forum where hundreds of professionals post. But you do have to be a (paid) member even to view it!

 

[BaylorSLP]

I am currently completing my CFY and can give some insight into your questions. Of course, my information is somewhat limited since I have not been practicing for many years, but my mom is also an SLP so I have grown up around the profession.

In high school I worked at my mom's office with children with auditory processing disorders as a computer program monitor. In graduate school I had the opportunity to work in the Language and Literacy clinic, the general clinic, and the Adult Neurorehabilitation clinic. I completed a mini internship during my last semester at an Otolaryngology office where I was taught to change laryngectomee voice prostheses among other more medical issues. I completed my externship at a hospital working in rehab and acute care, outpatient therapy, NICU, PICU, different ICUs, and down in x-ray doing swallow studies. I am currently working in a school district where I split my time between two schools and a caseload of about 45 as well as my mom's office seeing a few patients for after school hours. In the summer, I plan on working PRN in the hospitals.

As you can see, there are so many options for job settings that it (in my opinion) is virtually impossible to get bored with your job. If you get bored of one setting, you can finish it out and then switch. Hospitals are pretty good about taking on new SLPs who have been away from the hospital for a few years. Home health is an option, nursing homes are an option, contracts with private schools is another option. Even within the public school system, you can often request a change of school if you are not happy.

As of right now, I wouldn't change anything. There are things I absolutely loved and things I didn't like about different settings, just like with any job. As far as the future goes, I like working in the schools but I don't think I'll be doing it forever. I'd like to start working in a hospital again (hopefully in the summers) and then eventually take over my mom's private practice.

Sorry for such a long response...I could definitely write a lot more I hope some of this information was helpful to you!

 

[SLPtoMD]

I've been an SLP for 3.5 years. I've worked in a hospital and have worked in skilled nursing facilities for 2.5 years. As an SLP, you aren't taught anything you actually need to know to do therapy while you're in school. Everyday things like transferring a pt from the WC to the toilet safely because they have to go "NOW" and, well, you're it; talking a family through the decision whether to put a feeding tube into an 86 y/o man or let him die comfortably; understanding end-of-life issues and the most appropriate way to approach tx for someone with Dementia. I don't enjoy doing therapy anymore for several reasons. First, if you want to make decent money you need to work in a nursing home. That is fine, but there is not a lot of information or resources out there to support the idea that what you're doing actually helps anyone. You may feel like you're floundering a lot. Second, CMS is continually placing more restrictions on therapy resulting in an enormous amount of documentation that must be thorough, accurate, and complete (and coordinated with nursing/PT/OT) or your job is on the line. Last, it's very difficult to objectify information about someone's communication, cognitive, or swallowing skills. In some places such as hospitals, SLPs are respected. In most nursing homes, SLPs are expected to train CNAs who hate their jobs because they do manual labor for next-to-nothing. It's a frustrating field to be in day-to-day. I am switching to the administrative side as a rehab director for now until I finish the pre-reqs and get accepted to med school. In general, the stress level is how you perceive it. If you are able to accept your role in a patient's treatment, do what you can to help them, but not take personally the daily irritations, then it is a decent field to go into.

 

[RoNe]

I've been an SLP for 3.5 years. I've worked in a hospital and have worked in skilled nursing facilities for 2.5 years. As an SLP, you aren't taught anything you actually need to know to do therapy while you're in school. Everyday things like transferring a pt from the WC to the toilet safely because they have to go "NOW" and, well, you're it; talking a family through the decision whether to put a feeding tube into an 86 y/o man or let him die comfortably; understanding end-of-life issues and the most appropriate way to approach tx for someone with Dementia. I don't enjoy doing therapy anymore for several reasons. First, if you want to make decent money you need to work in a nursing home. That is fine, but there is not a lot of information or resources out there to support the idea that what you're doing actually helps anyone. You may feel like you're floundering a lot. Second, CMS is continually placing more restrictions on therapy resulting in an enormous amount of documentation that must be thorough, accurate, and complete (and coordinated with nursing/PT/OT) or your job is on the line. Last, it's very difficult to objectify information about someone's communication, cognitive, or swallowing skills. In some places such as hospitals, SLPs are respected. In most nursing homes, SLPs are expected to train CNAs who hate their jobs because they do manual labor for next-to-nothing. It's a frustrating field to be in day-to-day. I am switching to the administrative side as a rehab director for now until I finish the pre-reqs and get accepted to med school. In general, the stress level is how you perceive it. If you are able to accept your role in a patient's treatment, do what you can to help them, but not take personally the daily irritations, then it is a decent field to go into.

Hello SLPtoMD, I read over your post and I had to say hats off to you for making the transition to go from your current career into medical school. It must have been a very difficult decision. So many people cling to their current jobs out of fear of change or fear of the challenges. You must be very strong. I wish you all the best as a future doctor!

 

[RoNe]

Can anyone who is knowledgeable about SLP training please help me out? Although my undergraduate degree is not in a health related field, I was always interested in medical and health sciences. At the time my family and peers were trying to persuade me to go to law school so I earned my degree in political science. My heart was not in that so I did not ultimately become a lawyer. After a few years of jumping around from job to job, I realized my heart was always in the health field and I decided I want to do a Masters in Speech Language Pathology. Here is my trouble. I am far in dept with student loans from my undergraduate education. Also my parents are elderly and disabled and I support them, likewise, my sister became very ill and she could no longer care for her 2 young children so now I also support them. Long story short, I cannot take on the tuition for the Masters in Speech Pathology. Does anyone know of any tuition assistance programs (especially in New Jersey) for SLP programs? I am willing to agree to work for the government, work in underprivileged areas, or do whatever it takes to get help with tuition payment. Does anyone have any advice from one future health care professional to another? Thank you kindly.

 

[juicy123]

In NY you can get the Board of Ed scholarship. Free grad school, but for every year of grad school you owe BOE 2 years of service (i.e. 3 years= 6 years to BOE)

 

[Lrr]

I have been working as an SLP for twenty years! Of, course this is the best field ever. How else can you impact the lives of young people forever.