Get the SLP Externship You Want

If you are a graduate clinician in an SLP (Speech-Language Pathology) master’s program, you may be wondering how you get the SLP externship you want?! Externships are an exciting requirement for all SLP graduate students, but the process of securing one can be daunting. The exact externship placement process varies by program. Some programs place students directly, while others have students find their own placement.

As a clinical supervisor and placement coordinator in one of these graduate programs, I constantly hear from students about what their dream externship is and the reasons why they need that type of experience. I promise you that we want you to have your dream experience too. However, there is one thing you should know- externship placements are a simple math problem. There are finite number of placements available each semester and a large number of students competing for them. Although, I do wish I was as powerful as some graduate students think I am and could create placements out of thin air 🤩  Below are some tips on how you can get the SLP externship you want.

1. Be Flexible

Some students have narrow preferences for their externship, and by narrow, I mean they want a specific population/site/setting and there is no compromise in their mind. This usually has to do with unreasonable expectations about what an externship is and the type of settings in which SLPs work.

Flexibility is key when it comes to externships for two main reasons. First, sites are not required to take on a student extern each semester. So, if you really want to be at a competitive placement, such as a Children’s Hospital, there is a chance that they won’t even have a slot available. Second, most sites work with a variety of populations. Therefore, if you really want NICU, which is the MOST competitive placement of them all, you can very well get infant medical experience with Early Intervention, which usually has more placements. The same goes for adult medical placements. There may not be enough hospital placements to go around but a SNF could be a great alternative.

2. Be Open-Minded

The majority of students love their externship experience, even the reluctant ones. Seriously, if I had a dollar for every student that told me how surprised they were that they had a great experience, I would have lots of extra 💵. Additionally, students are often surprised by how much diverse experience they get in that placement. Double win! So, you think a public-school placement is going to just be articulation? Get ready to be surprised!

3. Be Professional

Your professionalism towards your cohort, clients, and professors are being observed from day one. When students are placed at externships, we want to match students with placements who will have a positive interview experience. The difficult truth is that otherwise, it’s a waste of everyone’s time and the slot is lost (making even more work for the placement coordinators). The good news is that little things like responding to emails quickly, incorporating feedback into your sessions, showing initiation in completing tasks, and having a positive attitude go a long way. These are the qualities that will help students succeed in their externship placement.

4. Go Above and Beyond

There are only so many sites in a location, especially if you limit yourself to a small radius from your house or campus. I can guarantee that at least half of your cohort will want the same site that you do. If you are willing to have a longer commute or unconventional hours, such as Saturdays, you may have an edge over your peers.

When I was in graduate school, I commuted an hour each way, four days a week, just to get experience at one of the best hospitals in the country, UAB Hospital. Medical SLP is a huge interest of mine but not my strong suit (I prefer clients who are medically stable). However, no one else was willing to do the commute, so the slot was mine for the taking. I learned so much in that semester (and still had time for socializing and sleeping). 

5. Ace the Interview

A lot of slots will require an interview prior to accepting you as an extern. In some cases, this may be a formality and a chance to meet you. In other cases, the site may be interviewing several candidates. Either way, treat this with the utmost importance (but don’t stress too much).

My biggest tip is to go into all interviews with professionalism and open-mindedness. Again, you are not guaranteed the placement! You need to prove that you will be a good fit for the site and that you are interested in that placement. I shouldn’t have to say this but don’t ever say something like “I’m not interested in this population/setting.” Remember, that the interview process is also for you to get more information about the site. It’s possible that they do serve the populations you are interested in.

6. Try Again

If your dream site isn’t available or if you interview and don’t get the position, don’t stress! You may have another opportunity either that same semester or future semester. If that is the case, a bonus is that your first interview was great practice.

What tips do you have for getting the SLP externship you want? Let me know in the comments below.