-: I got into speech because I saw
an early intervention program
that I was in with high school.
I took a vo-tech approach
and I thought I was going to be a teacher.
And then I saw a speech therapist
working with a little child and that intrigued me.
If you find that, then you apply to a college
or a university that provides that program.
If you change your mind a little bit
through that program, it's okay.
Nothing's stopping you from changing majors.
If you're in the communication science program,
start looking and thinking about grad schools.
Grad schools can focus
on more research-based versus clinical-based,
so you have to kind of say,
"Okay, from this, I'm going to get my master's,"
and then, "Do I want to get my PhD?"
If I want to be more clinical and hands-on,
then you look for the grad schools
that are more clinically-based.
With speech, you do your master's
and after master's, you will be in fellowship intervals
of going out into the community
and having your 15-week internship or whatever.
And then, once you graduate your master's,
you'll be into your clinical fellowship year,
which is almost one full year
under a speech language pathologist,
certified through ASHA.
And they will sign off paperwork and all that,
and making sure you're hitting your hours.
And then, once you do your full year,
you submit all your paperwork.
A lot of grad schools also will do
either competency tests or they'll do
theses in their program.
But then, you also have to take a board test too.
So during your clinical fellowship year,
you're studying for your boards.
That way, when you're done with your fellowship year,
you could be receiving your
certificate of clinical competency
in speech language pathology.