Question
I have been employed in the public school system as a speech-language pathologist for the past 6 years. I am now ready for a change and am interested in working with the geriatric population and learning more about dysphagia. Unfortunately, I did not rec
Answer
In addition to continued attendance at educational workshops I suggest that you do three things. First, purchase and read one or two good text books about Dysphagia. There are several that are easily available from publishers online and in speech-language pathology catalogs. Second, join the ASHA special interest group that is concerned with Dysphagia. You will receive a newsletter with valuable articles and be provided with some networking opportunities. Next, find a mentor in your area that has experience with Dysphagia and is currently working in the field. Ask if you can observe evaluations and treatment, and learn through an internship, just as a college student would. In my opinion, it is not a good idea to begin clinical work in the area of Dysphagia without first spending a great deal of time with a skilled instructor during a practicum or internship experience.
Jennifer A. Brush, M.A., CCC/SLP, is a researcher, educator, and long term care consultant. She is the Director of Brush Education Group. Ms. Brush specializes in geriatric care, rehabilitation programming and interdisciplinary activity development for dementia. She can be reached at jennifer@brushdevelopment.com.
Jennifer Brush ., M.A.,CCC
Related Courses
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