How to Have a Successful Clinical Practicum in SLP (Part two of two)

A clinical practicum in SLP (Speech-Language Pathology) is exciting! Graduate clinicians are ready to get hands-on experience as they prepare for their careers. Supervisors are eager to take on a graduate clinician as a mentee and show them the ropes. However, what happens when things don’t go as planned. It does happen and there are ways to get the learning train back on track and have a successful clinical experience.

For more information on what is a clinical practicum in Speech-Language Pathology and how to prepare, check out the first blog in this two-part series: How to Have a Successful Clinical Practicum in SLP (part one of two).

Common Issues

It is inevitable that things will come up during a clinical practicum. However, rarely is there a serious issue that can’t be solved. Below are recurring problems that arise.

Personality differences–

I would say the number one reason there are problems at an externship has to do with personality differences. These will occur in every setting and are something that you, as a graduate clinician, will need to learn to overcome.

I hear a lot of she said/she said, meaning students come to me with their perspective but when I reach out to the externship supervisor, they have a completely different perspective. We’ve all been in scenarios with friends where we observe the exact same thing but have a completely different version. Strangely enough- this happens with externships too.

Miscommunication–

In addition to personality differences, I hear a lot about miscommunication. Except the student usually refers to this as “I was never told about (insert issue here).” It is common for important information to be given in an informal way, such as walking down the hall in between clients. When this happens, the information usually isn’t absorbed.

Thinking you know more than your supervisor–

There is a lot of information learned in graduate school about how things should be done. A clinical practicum is meant to teach what can be done with the resources, time limits, and other requirements one has. So, just because a supervisor isn’t using a specific technique discussed in class, does not mean that they are not up to date. Additionally, sometimes things are referred to by different terms. It could be that a question was asked using a term the supervisor doesn’t use.

Transportation–

The commute is a nightmare for most people. A lot of clinicians have long commutes that can easily be disrupted. Please remember that your supervisor is also commuting. I’m sorry to say but your commute is here to stay! Please plan accordingly and try to be early to avoid any last-minute delays.

Wrong expectations–

A lot of students dream of how placements should go. Students think it should be calming, clients should be on time and eager to work with you, caregivers should implement all suggestions you give, and you should have endless resources at your fingertips. If the practicum is anything different, I hear complaints that things ‘aren’t going well’ when in reality, it sounds completely normal.

Personal obligations–

Class and clinic obligations should be your priority in graduate school. Supervisors have to work around their own schedules and client schedules, they aren’t obligated to work around your personal obligations or job.

Tips

Now that I have mentioned some of the issues that come up during a clinical practicum in SLP, below are recommendations for trying to resolve them.

Meet with your supervisor–

Actually sit down and talk to them! As I mentioned above, most of the time important information is given in an informal setting. This goes both ways. When a student comes to me with complaints, they usually say that they have tried to talk to their supervisor about the issue. However, when I ask about the setting, the student always says they tried to bring up the topic in between clients while walking down the hall or via text message.

Sitting down with your supervisor gives you both a chance to focus on the topic and a solution. I would say that 90% of the time, once a student goes back to the supervisor and asks to sit down and meet with them, things are resolved.

Remember your supervisor is a person and professional too–

Remember that your supervisor has a full-time caseload before you start the placement and after you leave. You are practicing under their license, and they are responsible for all your documentation and intervention implementation. Supervisors want their clients to do well and genuinely care about them.

Also, remember that supervisors are people too. They have obligations outside of the placement. They may have a family, a long commute, and sometimes get sick. If you change your schedule or call in sick, they must pick up the slack. This can put an extra burden on them.

Be open to different experiences–

Students often come to us with very specific ideas of what they want, including a setting, population, and location. I have had many students get their dream externship placement only to hate it. Say yes to everything, you never know what you will enjoy and what you won’t enjoy.

Focus on the experience you want, not on a specific site–

You may want to work only with three-year-old, Spanish-speaking, bilingual preschoolers. Or you may want to work in a NICU, which are incredibly rare and competitive placements. These sound like great placements. However, there may be other opportunities to work in a bilingual setting or with pediatric feeding, such as EI (early intervention) and you will learn more there than you thought you would.

The more flexible you are, the more likely you will find a good fit. The goal for you is to graduate as a generalist, not a specialist. You never know what setting you will work in after graduation and beyond. For me, I have worked in almost every setting an SLP can because I like variety. If I had focused on a specific population in graduate school, it would have limited me from doing that. Additionally, you never know where life will take you. It may take you to a rural area with only one or two job options or it may take you to a large city with lots of competition. Having more diverse clinical experiences is important to prepare you for any population you may work with as an SLP.

What other tips do you have for a successful clinical practicum in Speech-Language Pathology? Let us know in the comments below.