First Day of Clinic!

The time has finally come for me to begin my first clinic placement of graduate school. Today was the day, and, like most people, I was filled with a plethora of emotions-- excited, scared, nervous, inspired. How will I begin to build my clinical skills in just 15 short weeks? Will I show improvement by midterm? Will my supervisor like me? After all, my supervisor holds some of my clinical success in her hands (by grading me). Luckily, the first day went very well! 

I should preface this by saying my program doesn't have a traditional on-site clinic. So, from day one, all of the students are out in the community. The first two semesters we go to our placement one day a week, and after that we go 4 days a week. This semester I'm placed at a medical daycare providing early intervention services to children aged 1-5 with medical comorbidities. This is actually right up my alley, as I've worked in a daycare for the past 7 or so years. So, I was (and still am) very excited to work in this part of the field. 

Since this was my first day, I wasn't required to do any therapy. Instead, she let me watch her and occasionally jump in to try a technique or build rapport with the children. I liked this, as many of the children were still working on prelinguistic skills, which I had no idea how to treat. I was also able to see how a typical session is run (since these are all play-based) and see what she does in the case a child doesn't listen. (Seeing that they don't always listen to her also built my confidence, as I was -- and still am-- nervous about how to handle that.) The day was also spent getting to know the nurses and office staff, as well as getting acquainted with where materials were. This is especially important, since we will be providing feeding therapy to some children, so I have to know where the thickening agents are located. 

Overall, it was a great day, and I'm a little less nervous to continue this semester. It'll definitely be a great experience since not many students get a chance to do early intervention or get experience with more medically fragile children. We'll see how the semester goes, though, especially since I will begin treating some children next week!

Facebook Groups for the SLP Student Part 2

Now that we've covered the reasons for why you should join some Facebook groups, there's one more key item to keep in mind! Can you guess what it might be? ... Social media etiquette! Yes, this might seem slightly boring, perhaps even redundant for those of you who use social media a lot, but I've found that there's a good handful of people who join groups that don't follow the (sometimes) unspoken rules and and regulations. So, without further adieu, here are just a few items to keep in mind when participating in these groups:

You can also check out Part 1 here.

Joining Groups:

- Only join those you're truly interested in. Don't join every SLP group known to man. Are you interested in Autism? Private Practice? Bilingualism? There are groups for all interests! So,  join those you have an interest in so you can meet others in the field and see what issues are pertinent to that little piece of the field.

-Join those meant for students or students and clinicians. It won't be of best interest to join groups meant for families or those who have these conditions. Also, there are some groups for clinicians only. So don't overstep your boundaries by joining those groups just yet.

When Posting or Responding:

- Check to see if your question has been asked. Some questions get recycled every couple of months due to new members joining just to ask this one question. If you search in the group for your keyword you might find an answer! So, try to search on Google or in the group first before reposting a question that might've been asked before.

-Be HIPPA compliant. Also, don't give therapy advice to parents or clients that you have never assessed in person, and especially don't give advice if you aren't yet licensed or competent in that area. Now, that doesn't mean you can't share ideas with other graduate students or clinicians, but just be careful as to how you present your information.

-Try to "Turn on Notifications" rather than responding '.' or 'Following' to keep up with a post. Yes, sometimes you can't do that with the device you are using. Just bear in mind that people ask questions to get answers, not to get notifications for people commenting "." (I've seen some posts with 50 + responses of '...") Turning on notifications is easy, and if your phone doesn't have that option, try writing down the group name and check it later when you get home (or screenshot it to help you remember where it was!).

-Don't use text speech. You want to come off professional; after all, you are still networking in a sense! Plus, your name is on these posts, so other professionals or even your professors might be in that group and see what you're writing!

-Don't have too many cross-posts

-Remember everyone has their own opinions. You might agree to disagree, but do so in a cordial way. Also make sure that if you do use something to back you up, that it's from a reliable source.

Facebook Groups For the SLP Student Part 1

By now you can probably tell I'm a major proponent of online resources, networking and learning. One source that has filled all three of those things is Facebook. Now, you might say, " but, Trina, how could a SLP, AuD, or CSD student even benefit  from Facebook? What's on Facebook that can help us in the future or even now?!" Well, there is actually quite a lot! So, I've decided to do a three-part mini-series on Facebook Groups for the SLP Student. First up: why to utilize Facebook in your academic (and clinical) career!

check out Part 2 here

Benefits:

-Networking: There are sooo many groups on Facebook. Some are for students only, others are only for practicing clinicians, and others are a mixture (and even a few allow parents!). All of these groups are a chance for you to network, especially if they deal with the population you want to work with or a specific location you want to work at. If you can name it, there's a group for it ( travel SLP, working abroad, starting a private practice, bilingual clients, dysphagia, collaboration between professions...).

-Discussions and Learning: I can't tell you how many discussions occur weekly within all the Facebook groups I'm a part of. And guess what? They are all extremely helpful by giving me insight into current issues in the field or they providing me with information on how to work with a specific disorder. There've been discussions on caseloads, ethics, testing materials, products and even work bags! I've learned a great deal from these, and I know that I will continue to gain knowledge.

-Materials: Quite a few groups share materials! (Mind you, the members don't share materials that one must pay for; rather, they share personal items like their own data sheets). If you want to work in a specific population or just aren't sure how to organize your data, many groups have a folder where materials are kept. Or, you can also just ask other members if they have anything that works particularly well for them.

-Advice: Similar to the discussions, lots of advice is given out on a daily basis. All of the groups I'm in are comprised of SLPs and students who truly care about one another, so I've never felt afraid to ask a question.

Look out for both Part Two and Part Three!

Exciting Personal Update!

Hi all,
As the Christmas season is coming near (and as the year/semester ends) I am in a thoughtful and thankful mood. I'm very appreciative for all my readers and followers; your support makes each day brighter! There are also several other items I am thankful for and I thought I would update you all:

First, I've been accepted to grad school! I'll be in the University of Pittsburgh's 2015 Fall cohort and majoring in (you guessed it) Speech Language Pathology! It's been a long road and one filled with lots of hard work, so I'm glad to see it accumulate to this as it is my dream school with the classes and placements I desire most. I can't wait to see who else is in my cohort! (It's also certainly nice to not worry about CSDCAS and acceptances over Christmas break like most other students in my class will be doing!)

Second, the experiment for my undergraduate thesis is figured out and we've begun running it. I won't say too much until we've gathered more data, but it revolves around sound localization and how conflicting cues can play a role in where we hear a sound. This is exciting! I've also begun writing my thesis... going to try to take it piece by piece to lighten the load later on!

Lastly, I've decided to better my Spanish. It's not necessarily an 'accomplishment' right now, but I've at least made the decision. I got over the first hurdle today by taking an online placement exam and scheduling an interview with the director of my school's Spanish department. I really want to have a better proficiency since many clients in the future may be bilingual and I might also be living in Spain for some years seeing as my boyfriend is a Spaniard!


Do you have any accomplishments to be thankful for... or anything you're excited about?

The Low-Down on SLP Grad School Visits

Although I am no expert at grad school visits (I just went on my first one this past week), I've read quite a bit of tips and general information on some forums and programs websites. After this past week's visit I realized that everyone was different in their view on the process of visiting as well as their level of preparedness for the occasion. This got me thinkin'-- is there really such a thing as a one-size-fits-all way to attend a grad school visit?

I doubt there is, but from my own experience, thoughts (and advice from others) there are some things that I just would or wouldn't do. As said before, I'm no expert, but here's my thoughts:

What should you wear to a grad school program visit?
Okay, this can depend on what type of visit it is -- is it just an open house, are you doing a one-on-one visit, are you meeting faculty?-- and how laid-back the department is. Although, even if the department is laid-back, that doesn't mean you should be... after all first impressions count! At my latest visit, which was an open house, I saw prospective students wearing shorts and tanks tops. To me, that wouldn't make a great first impression. That attire is okay for visiting undergraduate programs, but graduate programs are meant to prepare you for a career, so I wouldn't do that. If anything, I'd suggest at least nice jeans and a blouse + cardigan... if you want to dress more nicely, then opt for a dress or slacks and a blouse. You don't need to go all out and wear dress pants and a blazer/jacket, but you don't want to look like you strolled in from the beach either. (Several others on SLP student forums agree with me on this as well.)

What should I bring to the visit?
Come with at least some background knowledge of the program. Know if you'll need pre-reqs if you're an out-of-major applicant. Figure out the length of the program beforehand. Find out if they have an on-site clinic. Most of your questions can be answered by a simple visit to their webpage, and if you're truly interested in going you want to show you've done the basic homework. There were quite a few at my visit that didn't know the basics of the program (and didn't look at the FAQ sheet provided), and thus asked about these when the information was in their hands and a few clicks away.
Notepad and Pen. These can be helpful when you find something interesting about the program and don't want to forget it... like a state-of-the-art lab or new technology that they are implementing. This is also helpful for writing down any questions that you have during the presentation, as well as contact information of the faculty or admissions correspondent.

When should I arrive?
Treat it as a job interview. If you know it's in a high traffic area, try to leave you house earlier. I'd suggest 15 minutes prior to the event, that way you have time to sign-in, go to the bathroom, find the room and get a seat. It's understandable that you might get caught up in some traffic, but it's always better to be there very early than late, so try to plan accordingly.

Should I come with questions?
This is entirely up to you. If you have scoured the website and know what faculty you are interested in but find that you don't have questions, then don't worry. Or, if you're just going to check out the area, the program/clinic and dynamics and feel as if you have no questions, that's fine. Just make sure you introduce yourself and perhaps mention some faculty, class or research you are interested in. You can even try to see if a student is there that is willing to give you their contact information.
If you do want to ask questions, make sure they aren't already answered on the website. Personalize them if you want-- for example, I'm interested in the medical track so I asked how we are placed in the clinics and if they offer any additional certifications in MBSS or LVST.

Hopefully some of these help! If you can think of any other visit do's or don'ts (or perhaps think the opposite about one of mine) feel free to comment below!

Tying in "Non-SLP" Experiences In Your Statement

Like many others, I'm currently in the process of preparing for the grad school application season. (How is it senior year already?!) For some majors, this might just begin and end in one month in the middle of the semester... for speech-language pathology or audiology, this 'season' begins in the summer. There are just so many things to prepare and tick of the checklist before the school year begins. One of the items we were told to at least brainstorm is the statement of purpose (sometimes referred to as the 'letter of intent').

Although numerous students say that the GRE and GPA are weighed more heavily in the process, many agree that the statement of purpose helps play a decent role in picking out more suitable candidates. It's essentially a written elevator speech, so you want to write it wisely. There's the usual tips of: minimize the sob stories, limit cliches and over-used phrases, specialize it (or at least some of it) for each school, and focus on the prompt. A good amount of the schools, at least those in the CSDCAS system, want you to write about why you want to do this as your career and why you want to study at their school. Naturally, most of the applicants like language and helping others, so you may want to find other key points. You may also want to focus on something that stands you out from others so that you are memorable... did you spend a summer in Costa Rica or can you make handmade crafts? Consider adding a small tidbit about this special thing, but make sure you tie it in with speech pathology or your goals.

So how can you tie it in? Or what if you don't have any experience with children or disabled citizens? Focus on the key traits of the job and one experience that illustrates them. Here are some examples from my life that you can draw from:

1. Working in the school cafeteria.
 Not so glamorous of a job, but certainly something that has been needed throughout my undergraduate career! I've done several of the stations, including: dish room, cleaning tables, salad bar, the specialty station and the sandwich station. I've spent most of my time in the sandwich station, so we'll go from there.

Key traits: communicate clearly with others, patience when filling orders, understanding dietary or cultural restrictions, being friendly to all customers

Experience: Some international students have dietary restrictions that I must follow. This has included taking off gloves (since they touched meat) and looking at ingredients on food items. Their accents may be difficult to understand, or their culture requires one to not look people in the eye for reassurance, so patience when asking for repetitions is necessary.

2. Freelance Writing. 
I dabble in freelance writing in my free time. This has ranged from blog posts for other websites to articles of varying lengths for an Asian pet supply company's magazine.

Key traits: prompt replies, professional correspondences, adjusting to different styles of writing, researching topics in further detail, international client base, adhering to deadlines

Experience: Throughout my experiences as a freelance writer I have had clients from a variety of countries. Each client has had different views of time and deadlines that I had to adhere to. Some projects have required interviews and exchanges with professionals in the related field to gain knowledge. These experiences have strengthened my level of professionalism, my ability to work independently and in a group, as well as molding my writing to the style they desired-- whether it be a short, witty introduction or an informational piece on pet dental hygiene.


Both of these examples showcase novel ways to view ordinary tasks and would help make me stand out to potential schools. Remember, everything requires communication, so you're already one step ahead! All you have to do is try to find other key characteristics that might illustrate how you can either  (1) adapt to grad school education (like writing notes and papers), (2) prove that you'll be a good clinician (hence the multicultural cafeteria experience), (3) demonstrate what brought you to this point, or (4) has helped you prepare for your future goals. I'm not sure if I'll use either of these, but at least these may help you with your statement!

Those Hidden Fees of Grad School

It's getting to be that time of year again for seniors of undergraduate speech-language pathology programs-- application season! I'm not sure about all programs, but my school already gave us a pep talk in April about how to prepare during the summer. It's crazy how many things need to be done, or at least  thought of during summer. Of course, some students, like myself, like to find things to research in their free time and have already been looking at certain points of the checklist already... like interesting grad schools. I know that some have thought of this, and others haven't. I attribute my searching to two things: I just like to look up things, and I consider myself 1/2 undergrad 1/2 post-bacc since I came into this degree as a transfer (from Linguistics). So, I've always been on the more self-driven side of my peers and researching everything about SLP within my first year of the program since I was transferring.

Anyway... sorry for that tangent. It has a purpose though! These searches, including those on forums like gradcafe, have led me to realize there are many more things to consider besides the tuition of grad school itself. These "hidden" fees can be enough to change your decision once you realize how much they can add up!

1. Cost of an apartment: 

Many undergrads don't get an apartment until their junior or senior year. Some may even be lucky (or maybe not lucky when you consider the amount of their loans) enough to live in a dorm their entire undergraduate career. With an apartment comes certain fees, which you should consider:

-Each city has a different "average" rate: For example, Pittsburgh can be about 500 for a shared and 6-700 for a single. Boston on the other hand? Mad expensive!

- Utilities: Don't forget the cost of utilities. If you're living in a studio, you have to pay them all yourself (unless some are included in rent). This can make your monthly payments go from $50 in a 4-person apartment to $150 alone depending on what utilities you decide are necessary (TV and Internet plans)

-Transportation: Find an apartment in an area you deem an acceptable distance from campus. Walking is always cheap, especially in the city. Some universities give you free public transportation with your ID, so you may not need a car. So, consider if you'll need a car (+ gas) or if you need to pay for public transport or not.

2. Factor in General Travel: 

Will you be living close to family and friends, or will they be hours (or even states) away? Do you plan on visiting them occasionally or for holidays? Then search the cost for gas for train/bus/plane travel to and from your house to see if you can afford that X times a semester while you are in school.

3. Supplies:

Think about any supplies you need. These include: books, furniture, kitchenware, physicals or clearances, school supplies, lesson planning supplies, and any other "small" things that might add up.

4. The Big Move:

If you are planning on going cross- state or cross-country for school, then you might rack up even more costs. Will you be able to fit everything in your car or in your checked luggage? Or will you need to rent a moving truck? How much will the gas or tickets cost to do this?

These are just several of the hidden costs that grad school has. For some, these can make or break the decision for going to a certain school, while others think about the long term investment. Of course, if you manage to get a scholarship, assistantship or other form of reimbursement that helps alleviate some of the cost of grad school, then these may not weigh as much on your decision.  Either way, good luck to all in my current position and hope you find your best match!

If you can think of any other hidden costs, feel free to comment!