Speech Pathologist

Speech Pathologist

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/speech-language-pathologists.htm

Duties and Responsibilities:

Speech pathologists diagnose, treat, and help prevent communication and swallowing disorders towards a patient. A speech, language, and swallowing disorder can have a variety of causes, like stroke, brain injury, hearing loss, developmental delay, emotional problems, etc. The pathologist typically does the following when diagnosing a patient:

·         Communicate with patients to see where their levels of speech are and language difficulty.

·         Determine the communication problems by having a patient complete basic reading and vocalizing tasks or by giving standardized tests.

·         Give treatment options

·         Carry out an individualized treatment plan.

Salary: $69,870

Education:

A standard level of education for a speech pathologist is a master’s degree. Even though a master’s program does not specify a particular degree for admission certain courses should be taken before coming to the programs. These programs include supervision clinical practice in addition to coursework. The graduate programs include courses in age-specific speech disorders, alternative communication methods, and swallowing disorders.

Reflection: Do you think you would like to be one? Why? Why not?

I think I would like to become one because I like how they get to help patients with speech problems and treat them before it becomes too severe. I like the idea how they get to communicate with them to help them out and to see where their levels are at for speech.