Making the Most of Your SLP Practicum

Quick Highlights:

• Clinical Hours Requirement: You need at least 400 hours of supervised clinical experience, including 25 hours of observation, to become an SLP.
• Practicum Preparation: Prepare academically and mentally for your practicum to make the most of the experience and meet SLP expectations.
• Active Learning and Feedback: Engage actively in your learning and use feedback constructively to improve your skills during the practicum.
• Networking: Build relationships with professionals during your practicum; these connections can help with future job opportunities.

A practicum in a speech-language pathology (SLP) college degree is a special kind of class that helps students learn by actually doing the work of an SLP. Instead of just reading books and listening to lectures, students in a practicum get to work directly with people who need help with speech and swallowing. It’s like a real job, but still part of school. During a practicum, you’re guided by experienced SLPs who watch and help you as you practice. You’ll need to complete at least 400 hours of this hands-on experience to become a speech-language pathologist. This includes observing skilled SLPs and then working directly with patients. The practicum is a crucial step in your training because it prepares you for what you’ll do in your career every day, helping you become confident and skilled in your ability to assist others.

To make the most of your speech-language pathology practicum, there are a few SLP practicum tips you should know. Before the practicum starts, you should learn the facility’s SLP practicum expectations. By preparing for SLP practicum in advance, you can make sure that you are ready to work as an SLP after your degree is complete.

Related:

• 15 Best Master’s in Speech Therapy Online
• 30 Best Master’s Degrees in Speech Therapy
• Is an Online Speech Language Pathology Program Right For Me?

Understanding the SLP Practicum

At its heart, the SLP field experience is designed to be your real-world training as an SLP. Instead of just learning SLP concepts in school, you can put your ideas into practice with an SLP practicum. 

Your university will likely help with your practicum by providing an SLP clinical placement. It will help you find a practicum site where you can work alongside SLPs and fulfill American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) credential requirements.  

To be considered an ASHA-approved site, the clinical practicum in SLP must have a licensed or certified SLP on-site. The licensed SLP must supervise a minimum of 25% of your sessions. To become a supervisor, the individual must have had their certificate of clinical competence (CCC) for at least nine months. Additionally, the supervisor must have spent at least two hours in continuing education studying the topic of supervision. 

The main objective of your speech-language pathology practicum is to learn how to put your SLP concepts into practice. It is impossible to teach students everything they need to know in an on-campus clinic or classroom setting. Your SLP field experience will give you real-world experience in caseload management and report writing. More importantly, it will help you learn how to work with patients.   

Preparing for the Practicum

If you want to achieve the best SLP practicum learning outcomes, you need to start preparing for SLP practicum placements in advance. The following SLP practicum tips will help you get the most out of your SLP clinical placement. 

Academic Preparation 

One of the SLP practicum expectations is that you are prepared academically for the experience. You shouldn’t have to devote a lot of time to learning academic concepts before the practicum begins. The clinical practicum in SLP is intended to be your chance to put these ideas into practice in a real-world setting, so you must master these academic concepts before the practicum starts. 

Mental Preparation 

Another one of the best SLP practicum tips is to prepare yourself mentally for the experience. Practicum supervisors and clinics want SLPs who are ready to learn. They know you don’t know everything about the field yet, but they expect you to be open to learning. If you aren’t willing to make mistakes and learn from your errors, you will experience SLP practicum challenges. 

Logistical Preparation 

Logistically, there may be other things you need to do to get ready for your practicum. For example, you will need to figure out your transportation to the practicum site. You will also need to get the email and phone number of your new supervisor in case you’re running late or have questions outside of the practicum hours. 

You will need to find a practicum that lets you schedule your clinical hours around your college classes. If you have children or outside responsibilities, you need to plan ahead for childcare and how you will schedule your practicum so that you can attend each session.

What to Expect During the Practicum 

If you’re working on maximizing SLP practicum experience, you should take some time to learn about what you will be doing during the actual practicum. For example, you may want to ask your SLP supervisor about how they will supervise your work and what your typical responsibilities will be. 

Each setting is different, so it’s hard to know exactly what kind of environment you will be working in. Some SLP practicums take place in a clinical setting. In other practicums, you go to the patient’s house to provide therapy. Because the SLP practicum expectations can vary so much, you should talk to your supervisor about the practicum’s structure and expectations before you begin.

Maximizing the Practicum Experience

To enjoy the benefits of SLP practicums, there are a few SLP practicum tips you should follow. Utilizing feedback, active learning, and networking with other professionals will help you prepare for a future career as an SLP. 

Active Learning 

Active learning is when students engage in the learning process. Instead of just memorizing terminology, you must take initiative and be an active participant. While this may mean that you role-play or take on the role of the SLP in a session, active learning can also be as simple as asking questions for clarification. 

Feedback Utilization 

The entire point of a speech-language pathology practicum is to learn how to work as an SLP. It is a supervised experience because you are supposed to learn from the supervisor. In order to make the most of your experience, you should ask for feedback and use it to improve. 

To utilize feedback, you must be open to criticism. Be willing to make adjustments. Additionally, you should ask questions if you don’t understand the feedback or advice you are given. 

Networking

During your practicum, you should work on building your professional network. When you meet another SLP, ask them questions about their work. In addition to providing you with advice, these questions can help you build a relationship with the SLP. 

If you form a close relationship with one or more SLPs, don’t forget to ask for their email address or phone number after the practicum is complete. You should also ask them if they are willing to be a reference for you. If you do use them as a reference, send them an email or give them a call so that they aren’t blindsided when a prospective job calls them. 

Overcoming Common Challenges 

Sometimes, there will be difficult cases. You may struggle to work with some SLPs and time management can be challenging at first. These SLP practicum challenges are useful because they will help you learn how to overcome similar problems once you are employed as an SLP. 

If you are dealing with issues, try asking your supervisor for help. You can also talk to your professors and fellow students about the ways they have dealt with common issues.    

Reflecting and Learning from the Practicum

Other than preparing for SLP practicum in advance, another one of the best SLP practicum tips is to reflect on your experience afterward. It is often easier to figure out what you have gained from an experience in retrospect. To make these reflections easier, you may want to keep a journal during your SLP practicum so that you can easily use these experiences for professional growth later on.

Next Steps After the Practicum

Once your practicum is complete, you should use the experience for future career opportunities. You can use SLP supervisors and co-workers for references. In addition, some clinics will hire you as an SLP if they enjoy having you complete your practicum with them. 

Preparing for SLP Practicum Success 

If you are about to begin a speech-language pathology practicum, the right SLP practicum tips can help you make the most of your experience. Don’t be afraid to ask your supervisor for advice as you begin preparing for SLP practicum experiences. Your supervisor can inform you about SLP practicum expectations and make sure your clinical practicum in SLP is as effective as possible.