Completing observation hours abroad

[atrochemoche]

Question for any international students/3CKs/emigrants...Many of the US and Canadian unis I'm applying to require 25 observation hours before applying and I'm having trouble meeting the requirements as I live permanently elsewhere.

 

Though I've done observation with a speech language therapist in the country I live in and will continue to do so, she is only certified by the ASHA-type organisation here. There are no SLPs here certified by ASHA, and those that are certified by this country's national body have significantly less training than ASHA would require (example: the SLT I observed only took half-year of extra classes on top of her teaching degree to obtain it). Finding placements with another SLP is not possible.

 

The reply I received from one uni was that unless I'm applying as an international student, I'm required to do the observation with an ASHA-certified professional (or another national body with qualifications recognition by ASHA). The problem is, I'm not an international student, just a dual American/Canadian citizen who has rarely been in those countries.

 

In the only ASHA-recognised country I could afford to go to before the application deadlines, observations are only permitted after a series of expensive and time-consuming background checks which I cannot obtain as a non-resident. I could do the observations on Master Clinician, but is this sufficient? I've also thought of contacting a a Canadian/American SLP who may allow me to observe virtually, but scheduling that would be a bit of a nightmare. Either way, I can't very well take a week off work to fly across the world and do an observation in a place I know nobody before the application deadline.

 

Any thoughts?

[lookwhoslp]

That's tough, are you able to visit any nearby countries that might have other ASHA certified SLPs? You can search on ASHA find a professional page; there's quite a number abroad! So if you're near the border of another country and it's not hard going between them, maybe you can do that?... You did say you have found and shadowed one already... I'd say definitely stick with that one and then just use others as "extra". You only really need the hours by the time you are enrolled/in the program... so try to get as many now and then maybe once you're back in the States/Canada you can shadow a couple more? Since you're abroad I think most schools understand it's difficult to find hours, and at least you already had some hours! So for now, just stick with the person you have (make sure to record their ASHA number and signature in your log), and maybe find others close by. I think it's generally easier to get placements in adult settings as those with children require child criminal history checks and such... not sure if it's the same abroad, but adult settings might also help. Or see if there is an ASHA professional that does some support groups or works in an international school. Try searching on the organizations with an agreement with ASHA to see if you can search for professionals searching abroad as well. This way you don't have to travel to the USA, UK, Australia, etc but just have to find a certified professional that's near you. Where are you at right now??

[carolineSLP]

Hi atrochemoche, Master Clinician is a great way to earn your hours as long as a current ASHA-certified SLP agrees to supervise your comments, etc. Talk to the schools you're applying to to see if they will accept master clinician hours. I don't see why they wouldn't, especially in your situation. There are just over 40 videos and if you watch them all you'll earn just over 25 hours. Good luck!

[atrochemoche]

Thank you for the advice! I live in Spain, and the only nearby country with an ASHA accord is the UK, where it's only possible to observe after extensive background checks which I would have to live there to get. I can't really afford to go there for more than a couple of days, so that's out.

 

The current SLT I have observed is not ASHA certified, although she has signed off on my hours with her AELFA (the national body here) number. That's a great idea to ask an ASHA-certified SLP to supervise my comments on Master Clinician, it hadn't even occurred to me.

 

Unfortunately the next time I'd go to Canada or the US would be in the week I (hopefully) start grad school, so no luck for that option!

[lookwhoslp]

Ohh, I've been searching in Spain as well. There are a few ASHA certified SLPs in Spain. I haven't contacted them but there is one in Barcelona and Madrid.  Here's ASHA's contact info for some http://www.asha.org/proserv  and choose "Spain" as the country. Don't worry about state/zipcode... just choose Spain then search.

 

I think the first two have their own websites with contact info, just google their names and like 'speech pathologist Spain' and they should pop up. If you're near the France or Portugal border you can try searching for professionals in those countries too. Even though these countries don't have the mututal agreement these are ASHA certified people living/working in those countries, so they should count since it's the person's license that counts. (On the hour log you just write the date, then list each client's disorder and time seen separately, then have the person sign for them and write their ASHA number.)

 

What are you doing in Spain?

Edited September 3, 2014 by lookwhoslp

[atrochemoche]

Unfortunately I live in a rural area and don't have a car, so the people I've found who are ASHA-certified are quite unaccessible. Thank you so much for adding that information though, I may see if I can take a week off work just to do the observation.

 

As for why I'm here, my partner is Spanish so I came here to be a teacher and translator.

[ImHis]

Unfortunately I live in a rural area and don't have a car, so the people I've found who are ASHA-certified are quite unaccessible. Thank you so much for adding that information though, I may see if I can take a week off work just to do the observation.

 

As for why I'm here, my partner is Spanish so I came here to be a teacher and translator.

Definitely go for it and don't pass up that opportunity. Taking 1 week off of work is worth taking that leap so you can bring yourself closer to the field of your dreams!!! 

Edited September 4, 2014 by Articklish