Long winded Newbie Question

[Kaviar 1911]

Hello all....

I am a non traditional future Student that received my undergraduate degree in 1996. I minored in speech pathology. I have since spent the last 20 years in the music industry as an executive at various labels... Minus a stint in the military.....and graduate school......I am now in my late thirties and seeking a career change. I pretty much know exactly what I want to do. I'm trying to find a way to create a niche for myself within the speech language pathology field. I want to get into a doctoral program that allows me to get my CCC during the process. It is my plan to work with soldiers who have battlefield trauma of the throat. I spent a little time in the military and I saw soldiers with shrapnel in their necks, sliced tracheas, dislodged voice boxes, & a myriad of other battlefield injuries. Since it is too late for me to attend medical school at my age.... because for what I want to do in throat surgery would take at least 12 years... So I was thinking about combining a medical SLP with a doctor of nurse practitioner degree, or maybe a Medical SLP with a physicians assistant degree.... During the research I've been doing, I stumbled across clinical science doctoral programs as well as SLPD.... I definitely want to work as a clinician as opposed to a research doctorate. I'm also looking into a PhD program in molecular bioscience because that then opens me up to being able to study cancer of the throat and specialize in various issues dealing with swallowing disorders or disease affecting the internal mechanism of the throat.

My question to you all is.... Am i jumping the gun? As in moving too fast.... Like maybe I should just get A masters in speech pathology and get my Cs first... Or can I go straight into a clinical doctoral program?

Edited February 25, 2016 by Kaviar 1911

[thespeechblog.com]

I think it would probably be a much better idea to talk to professionals in the field. Try and find someone in the niche you want to get into (or someone close to it). Try speaking with faculty at universities with programs you´re interested in, can you go to a hospital and speak with people working in the area? I think they´d have the best advice for you. 

[ThatSpeechGuy]

Have you looked into become a PA? It would take less time to complete than the degrees you were mentioning here and you would still have ample opportunity to be involved in surgeries.

 

It depends on what you are looking for specifically. Are you looking for less involvement long term in a patients life or are you looking for that continuance of care that is entailed in being an SLP. That is ultimately what dissuaded me from MD vs SLP. 

[Kanga]

Whoa, slow down! You are moving way too fast into one field that may or may not be what you really want to do. I strongly suggest you stop and take a breath and look at all sorts of options.

9 hours ago, Kaviar 1911 said:

Since it is too late for me to attend medical school at my age.... because for what I want to do in throat surgery would take at least 12 years... So I was thinking about combining a medical SLP with a doctor of nurse practitioner degree, or maybe a Medical SLP with a physicians assistant degree.... During the research I've been doing, I stumbled across clinical science doctoral programs as well as SLPD.... I definitely want to work as a clinician as opposed to a research doctorate

A masters in speech pathology with prereqs will take at least three years. I say "at least" because there are other classes sometimes required, plus you need to get entry into a program. While programs often are more lenient with previous academics for those changing careers, they are also going to want to see a current background/knowledge of the field in the field (usyually through volunteering, current work experience, etc). Add in the doctorate and you have more time. Then adding in a nursing degree, plus masters plus practitioner....or physicians assistant (also very competitive degrees)......I personally believe its way too much. What it indicates is that you really don't know what you want to do. However, in other ways, what you want to do is so incredibly specific that there may not even be a job that focuses just on that. The military does have many rehab facilities, including 5 polytrauma centers. However, in those jobs you would also see patients with many other issues. Would that be an interest as well. Additionally, to receive your masters, you would need to do many clinical hours with children...are you open to that?

I strongly suggest you take time to do some observations/volunteering in the fields you are considering and find out a lot more information on what you are thinking of doing. Best of luck to you.

 

[MangoSmoothie]

9 hours ago, Kaviar 1911 said:

My question to you all is.... Am i jumping the gun? As in moving too fast.... Like maybe I should just get A masters in speech pathology and get my Cs first... Or can I go straight into a clinical doctoral program?

You cannot. The clinical doctorate in SLP is not an entry-level degree, unlike the AuD or DPT. There's only 5 or so clinical doctorate programs for SLP in the U.S., and all the ones I looked at required a masters degree with your C's as a prereq.

You sound very unfocused. Ambitious, with a goal, but not focused on how to get there. You're not going to get all of these degrees without a serious time investment, and you really don't need to shoot for multiple advanced degrees, especially when all of them would be entry level anyway. You can't do it all! I also strongly suggest doing some observation of all these professions or paths, and decide what it is you really want to do. You can still start doing prereqs for a master's in SLP program in the fall, and then apply next year. Get your degree, some experience, and then apply for your clinical doctorate. A clinical doctorate is a great idea if you have an area you want to specialize in, which you do. But you need to get some actual experience before then.

Good luck! It sounds like you have an area you're really interested in, and you still do have the means to get there. If you go the SLP route, it's a great path, and I think you'll find a lot of opportunities to do what you want.