What setting/population do you want to work in/with and why?

[Sga71494]

Hi guys! In an attempt to get my mind off of grad school decisions, I’m trying to brainstorm what population and setting I’d want to work with/in as a future SLP. I’d love to hear about your input and/or any experiences you have. 

[NatRose]

I worked as an SLPA in an outpatient clinic mostly working in pediatrics, and it was awesome. My grad program is more medical-based, so I'd love to explore adults and geriatrics.  Ideally, I'd like to try an acute externship or CF to feel it out, but I see myself eventually returning to private practice.

[MassSLP2be]

I came into this field thinking my only option would be working with kids in a school. To my surprise, I learned that the field was vastly diverse! I learned about SLPs working with geriatric and adult populations, doing feeding/swallowing/cognition/therapy post-TBI/stroke and it's like it just...clicked with me. I worked in a nursing home kitchen in high school and used to prepare special diets for residents (puree, etc) so learning about dysphagia really resonated with me. 

I've also always been the kind of person who can connect well with adults and the elderly more so than with children. I've always been a "grandma's girl." So I think the adult/geriatic population also worked for me because of my personality. And I feel as if outpatient/inpatient/rehab/acute care would all be a better match for me than a school. But that's just me!

Finally, as an MA native, the Boston Marathon Bombing terrified me, but seeing specials on TV about the work Spaulding Rehab and MGH did with survivors made me realize that rehab was what I wanted to do. The professionals I watched on TV emulated exactly what I wanted to be like with my clients someday. 

[slpgrad620]

I always wanted to do early intervention, especially speech, but lately I’m more open and also strongly considering working with aphasia patients especially because I have had people around me survive strokes recently and even within the aphasia population, there are different types of aphasias. But I guess that’s what grad school is for... to work with different populations to see who you really want to work with in the future! 

[snoves]

I've always wanted to work with children, either early intervention or grade/middle/high school age. But I'm trying not to pigeon-hole myself too early...I've never really had the opportunity to work with older populations, so I'm very excited to have the opportunity to explore that side of the field in grad school

[SLPinTraining2019]

I am so excited for that aspect of grad school. I think it'll be great to have the opportunity to gain experience with adults, kids, geriatrics, people with disabilities, and more! I've always loved working with kids, I've been a summer camp counselor for years for children with disabilities and I absolutely love it. As of right now, I'm thinking school-based SLP. That being said, I can't wait to explore my other interests in grad school and see what other populations excite me. Sga71494, what demographics are you thinking you'd like to work with?

[lacuna]

It's my first year in the program and I honestly am so torn! There's no pressure to choose a specialty quickly which is great. I know I want to work with children, but I've gone back and forth on school vs clinical setting. I'm leaning more towards school because it's more of a collaborative effort and you get more time to diagnose / get a more holistic picture. I'm also super interested in fluency and voice. I would love to do some transgender voice therapy as well, probably as a volunteer thing on the weekends. It's a highly underserved area and a passionate topic for me. I don't think my mind will be wholly made up until I start practicum and seeing patients. 

Also @snoves let me know if you ever have questions about SJSU