Quick Highlights:
- Internships and Practicums are essential for gaining real-world experience in speech-language pathology and are often integrated into SLP program curricula.
- Volunteering offers valuable experience and is great for resumes.
- Virtual Simulation provides flexible, practical training that complements real-world experience.
- Shadowing Professionals offers practical insights and is a valuable supplement to formal education.
The bridge between any kind of education and real-world application can be a difficult one to cross. In fact, that’s true for in-person education, as well. If you are pursuing an online SLP, practical experience is going to be a critical piece of the puzzle as you look to get your career started.
Gaining real-world SLP experience doesn’t have to be difficult. On this page, we’ll highlight some options that you can use to pick up valuable experience prior to graduation. Using one or more of these ideas should position you nicely to be an appealing job candidate.
Related:
- How to Choose the Right SLP Program
- A Student’s Guide to Virtual Reality in SLP
- Making the Most of Your SLP Practicum
- Is an Online SLP Program Right for Me?
The Traditional Path – Internships
For most students, the standard way to gain experience in this field is through community-based SLP opportunities. That means completing internships or practicums as part of the curriculum for the program they are in. SLP programs understand the importance of real-world experience and build these opportunities into their schedule.
Depending on how your program works, it might be up to you to find speech pathology internships to apply for. Even if you are presented with opportunities by your school, you’ll still need to take the initiative and follow the process to secure a spot. There is no way to overstate how important SLP volunteer positions are early in the development of your career, so jump at every chance that comes your way.
The bridge between any kind of education and real-world application can be a difficult one to cross. In fact, that’s true for in-person education, as well. If you are pursuing an online SLP, practical experience is going to be a critical piece of the puzzle as you look to get your career started.
Gaining real-world SLP experience is possible in an online degree , but an internship will be necessary to complete the program.
Related:
- Top Speech Pathology Grad Programs
- Best Online Master’s in Speech Therapy
- Top Associates in Speech Therapy
- Ask College Rank: Speech Pathology Path in Texas
Volunteering Your New Skills
Rather than looking for part-time SLP jobs that you might qualify for, you could simply volunteer your time to gain experience. There are plenty of places that might be accepting volunteers with your type of training. Explore options at hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and beyond. Of course, you’ll need to find something that fits in with your existing schedule.
Think about volunteering as an activity that will accomplish a couple of goals. Not only will you gain great experience in the field, but you’ll also have something to put on your resume. A willingness to volunteer shows future potential employers that you are passionate about SLP and will put in the work to build a career.
Completing Virtual Simulations
On this point, we are stretching the definition of the “real world” a little bit. Virtual simulations are a great way to mimic the real-world scenarios you’ll face as an SLP, even if they aren’t actually real. The training that you receive by going through these simulations should make your move into real-life practice much smoother.
One of the big advantages of spending time on virtual simulations is that they can be completed anywhere. You are likely using an online SLP program because of the flexibility it provides. Simulations continue with the theme of flexibility and let you squeeze in some skill-building whenever you have some free time. You’ll also need actual real-world experience with other humans, but simulations are a nice addition to your training.
Shadowing Current Professionals
If you are looking for SLP clinical practicum alternatives for experience, shadowing a practicing professional is an option. These opportunities can be hard to find but are highly valuable. Get in touch with as many clinics and schools as you can to see if they offer this type of experience and when it might be available next.
When you reach out, simply explain that you are looking for SLP online program experience. Not everyone will be responsive, but it only takes one to provide you with this opportunity. You might find yourself following along with nonprofit SLP work or some other important field. This kind of passive real-world SLP training can come together with the other ideas on this list to prepare you for your future.
Join a Professional Organization
One of the challenges you are going to face is simply finding places to look for opportunities to gain experience. This is where being a member of a professional organization might pay off. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association is one such example. There might also be local options near you that would be effective.
Once you join such a group, you should be able to connect with other members, attend conferences, sit in on webinars, and more. All of these things will bring you closer to the industry and make you aware of opportunities that are available.
Experience in Telepractice
The world of telehealth has grown rapidly in recent years and shows no signs of slowing down. As a professional in SLP, your future is certainly going to include working in telehealth in some capacity, at least part-time. Real-world SLP training is important, but it’s just as important to gain experience in the digital realm.
There might be internships available that focus specifically on this type of practice. Or, you could be given an opportunity through your online program to go through this process. Like all of the other options we’ve mentioned, it will be well worth your time to explore whatever possibilities exist for you in telepractice.
Participate in Research Projects
Research projects aren’t going to be the core of your practical SLP skills development process, but they can play a role. There are always research projects going on in this space and you might be able to help out. Ask faculty members or other professionals you can contact to see what might be going on.
This step can help advance your career simply through exposure. You’ll make connections with people involved in the SLP field and expose yourself to new ideas. If you are able to get involved in some of these things before graduation you might find that many more doors are open when the time comes to find a job.
Get Started Right Away
The best time to get SLP work experience before graduating is as soon as possible. This experience will have the effect of enhancing an SLP education and will help you better understand how your knowledge and skills are going to translate into the real world.
We hope that the information on this page has been helpful and has given you plenty to think about. With a combination of a quality education and some practical experience in the field, there is no limit to what you can achieve.