Pros And Cons Of Being A Speech
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Speech-Language Pathology is continually ranked as one of the best fields to work in. Is being a Speech-Language Pathologist all that it is cracked up to be? You may be wondering: what are the pros and cons of being a Speech-Language Pathologist?
As somebody who has been practicing for 10 years, I can think of a lot of pros and a lot of cons. Ill start with the positives and if you feel the need to keep on reading, you can read the cons.
Want To Become An Slp Earn An Ms Online At Nyu
NYU Steinhardts online master of science program in Communicative Sciences and Disorders prepares aspiring speech-language pathologists with a comprehensive professional education.
- Prepares students to pursue SLP licensure
- Accredited by ASHAs Council on Academic Accreditation
- As few as six terms to complete
- Full-time and part-time plans of study
Fostering Career Development & Leadership Opportunities
Ongoing Support
We are known throughout the industry for providing state-of-the-art training, systems and support for all of our employees from new graduates to clinicians with 30+ years of experience. You will be part of a multidisciplinary team led by an experienced mentor that meets once per month in the area that you serve. These clinical teams are a great opportunity to collaborate with other clinicians in your area, stay up-to-date on relevant industry changes and continue to develop your clinical skill-set.
Therapy Visits
At Solace, your visit is one-on-one therapy time working with your child on their plan of care. We provide in-home pediatric physical therapy, telehealth therapy and clinic treatment. Our amazing office staff provides support for all of your non-clinical needs, from scheduling to billing to provider office coordination. This allows you to focus on what you love doing, providing therapy. Our scheduling platform optimizes your caseload to reduce downtime and drive time between each visit, including emailing weekly visit confirmation messages to each of your families and texting your arrival time.
Training and Development
With unlimited opportunities for professional development and a team of experienced clinicians to provide guidance, you will have an opportunity to work with a diverse caseload, as well as specialize in areas of interest.
Caseload Expectations
Who we Serve
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Why Am I Writing About Alternative Slp Careers
I am so excited to write this article because it is a subject close to my heart. I was an SLP feeling desperate to leave my clinical role. After ten years, lots of experiences, and one global pandemic, I was 1054% sure it was time for a change.
At first, I was terrified to leave behind the devil I knew, not knowing what else was out there. I thought about how hard Id worked for my degree and how I still hadnt paid off those hefty graduate loans. I felt stuck.
I struggled with the feeling that I was somehow abandoning my patients. If not me, who would care for them like I did? I fell into a pattern where I was sacrificing myself for the sake of the people I served. In the process, it dawned on me that I wasnt providing the best service to anybody with that mindset. I felt guilty.
Ultimately, I chose to take a leap of faith and to prioritize my own health and wellbeing . I realized I wasnt serving my patients to the best of my ability if I was turning myself into a martyr by doing so. I left clinical work behind and, Im happy to say that I havent looked back! If you feel like me, theres life after clinical work for you, too!
When I was deciding to leave clinical work, I wish Id known about amazing resources like The Non-Clinical PT! They would have been sooo helpful when I was getting started! Especially the writing crash course
Im going to walk you through several viable alternative careers for SLPs.
Lets do this! Here are 12 awesome non-clinical SLP jobs.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers And Cardiovascular Technologists And Technicians Including Vascular Technologists

Diagnostic imaging professionals include medical sonographers, cardiovascular technologists and technicians, including vascular technologists Theyre also called diagnostic imaging workers. They use specialized equipment to create images or conduct tests that help physicians make informed diagnostics. Most of these professionals work in hospitals but some work in doctors offices or lab settings.
Median Salary: $67,080
Predicted Rise in Employment: Predicted 17% Rise between 2016 and 2026
Required Education: Minimum of Associates Degree
Additional Information:This varied field is expecting much faster than average rates of growth, with a prediction of about 21,100 new positions nationwide by 2026.
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Ok Im Feeling Super Overwhelmed What Now
Breathe! I get it. Leaving patient care is overwhelming enough, and when you want to make sure you land a remote job that also uses your existing education and experience, you can quickly develop the dreaded analysis paralysis.
Thats why I created Non-Clinical 101. Its a 4-step, self-paced, online course that is FUN, insightful, and inspiring. You get lifetime access to all the course materials , as well as lifetime membership in our alumni network, where other success stories share jobs at their companies! Learn more here!
25 career paths, 40+ non-clinical resumes, cover letter templates, LinkedIn tips, networking/interview strategies, and guided insights to help you feel confident youre making the right moves!
How To Become A Speech Therapist
Most people think of overcoming speech impediments when they think of speech-language pathology, but the profession of speech therapy or, as its commonly called, speech-language pathology, goes much deeper than that. Fluency, the ability to express thoughts and ideas, understanding others, or even swallowing properly are all issues that speech therapists might assess, diagnose, and treat.
And theyre not small issues. Trouble communicating makes it difficult to pick up new information or communicate whats not being understood in the classroom. It makes forming relationships hard, and in the case of swallowing disorders, thwarts social situations in which friendships are formed.
Speech therapists help prevent communication disorders early on and identify at-risk students, assess and evaluate communication skills in students, and develop individualized education programs for those students who need them. With how crucial speech language-pathologists are to education, many SLPs opt to pursue career opportunities within school systems.
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Make A Difference In Peoples Lives
THIS is what keeps me coming to work day in and day out.
The ability to help my patients through treatment and make a positive difference in peoples lives. As a Speech-Language Pathologist, you may witness the tears pouring down a parents face because you helped their child say their first word.
You may help a stroke survivor eat a meal for the first time after they depended on a stomach feeding tube for months.
Speech pathology is rewarding because you get to help people and their families and make a positive impact in the lives of your patients and students. It is truly a rewarding field.
Clinical Fellowship Supervisor Jobs
Guide New SLPs to Career Success
Clinical Fellowship Supervisors are a crucial support system for our new SLPs to ensure that they are prepared for success and have met their clinical fellowship requirements while on assignment. Becoming a CF Supervisor is the perfect opportunity to apply your knowledge and guide SLPs toward completing their 36-week Clinical Fellowship.
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Online Ms: Pursue Slp Certification Study Ft/pt
Speech@Emerson enables you to earn an MS online and pursue SLP certification in as few as 20 mos. Learn the same curriculum as the on-campus program. Study FT or PT.
- Prepares you to pursue certification as an SLP generalist
- In-person clinical placements at faculty-approved partner sites
- As few as 20 months to complete
info SPONSORED
What Is A Speech Pathologist
Speech Pathologists, also referred to as Speech Therapists or SLPs , are professionals who work with people of all ages to improve communication techniques and treat swallowing disorders, amongst many other job responsibilities.
Speech Pathologists can be found practicing in a variety of settings including, but not limited to, independent practices, doctors offices, schools, hospitals, and residential health care facilities like nursing homes.
Jumpstart Your Career in Speech Pathology, Explore Online SLP Programs
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Radiologic And Mri Technicians
Another top non-physician healthcare job that pays well are radiologic and MRI technologists. These professionals, known as radiographers, perform imaging services such as x-rays. MRI technologists are trained to provide patients with magnetic resonance imaging scans to help physicians with diagnostics.
Median Salary: $61,240
Predicted Rise in Employment: Predicted 13% Rise between 2016 and 2026
Required Education: Minimum of Associatess Degree
Additional Information:
Employment of radiologic or MRI technologists is expected to grow by almost 30,300 jobs through 2026. Most professionals need an associates degree and become licensed or certified in their states.
Medical And Health Services Manager

Medical and Health Services Managers also called Healthcare Executives, Healthcare Administrators or Healthcare Managers are responsible for coordinating and directing medical services across a variety of settings. These professionals may manage an entire facility or specialize in managing one specific clinical area or department. Some of these professionals may also manage a medical practice for a group of physicians or clinics. Medical and health services managers have knowledge and training in:
Required Education: Minimum of Bachelors Degree
Additional Information: Most medical and health services managers hold a minimum of a Bachelors Degree before entering the field. Masters and Doctoral degrees are commonly found among higher-level professionals in this field. There are a wide variety of traditional and online Masters Degree programs in healthcare administration or management, with a track record of high quality education in healthcare management.
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Earn Your Slp Masters Online From Baylor
Baylors SLP masters program online can be completed full time in 20 months or part time in 25 months. Bachelors required. No GRE required.
- Part-time and full-time options: 20 and 25 months
- Industry-leading curriculum in a faith-based environment
- Bachelors Degree Required
The states that employed the highest numbers of SLPs in 2019 included New York, Texas, Illinois, Florida and California, the BLS reported.
Many Of Us Stay In The Clinical Grind Longer Than We Want To Simply Because:
- We doubt we have transferable skills for a different career path
- We dont know if alternative SLP careers even exist
- We feel guilty leaving a career we worked so hard to attain
- We cant afford to take a big pay cut
- We feel lost about where to even begin looking for non-clinical/alternative SLP careers
As I mentioned, SLPs have TONS of transferable skills. But without a real world plan, the idea of leaving clinical work feels like a pipe dream, at best.
Sounds familiar? Then this articles for you. In it, youll learn about some exciting, in-demand careers that are a natural fit for SLPs looking to escape the clinical grind.
But first, lets boost your confidence a bit and explore some of the awesome transferable skills clinical SLPs possess!
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What Sort Of Non Clinical Jobs Are There For Pathologists How Would You Find Them
I am a pathologist – I left the field altogether to become a medical monitor for clinical trials in a pharma company. It is unusual to find pathologists in this role as we dont really participate in the nitty gritty of clinical trials. More commonly, pathologists wind up in Biomarkers, Translational Sciences, or Preclinical sciences. I personally find it rewarding and challenging, and occasionally stressful, but I wouldnt trade it for the world. The money is not as good as a physicians salary – but I dont take call, get all my weekends off, decent PTO, stock plan, annual bonus, etc. I love working in a corporate environment – working for pathologists who have no people skills and no interest in management totally sucks. If youre interested in transitioning to something else, get a LinkedIn profile and start connecting with others in the field. Reach out to them and ask for informational interviews . Hire a resume writer to help you, and copy that text to your LI profile. These will help you position yourself for potential hiring managers.
Occupational Health And Safety Specialist And Technicians
Meeting workplace health and safety standards is something all organizations strive for. Occupational health and safety professionals are on the frontline of workplace health and safety. These highly paid non-physician healthcare providers collect and analyze data across a variety of work environments. They help ensure they are meeting industry standards and regulations. They also make recommendations and help remediate compliance issues. Median Salary: $69,370
Predicted Rise in Employment: Predicted 8% Rise between 2016 and 2026
Required Education: Minimum of Bachelors Degree
Additional Information:Positions in the field of Occupational Health and Safety Technology is expected to grow 11 percent from 2016 to 2026, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. This growth projection is based on the need for employers to adhere to existing and new regulations in the workplace. A number of vibrant degree programs in healthcare quality and patient safety can connect students quickly with this emerging field.
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Speech Language Hearing Sciences Affiliate Faculty
Entry-level degree for clinical practice in speech-language pathology or audiology. The SLHS major is intended to provide undergraduate students with the
Evaluate students to determine competencies in language, articulation, phonology, voice, fluency, pragmatics, oral-motor skills, and augmentative communication.
$28.68 an hour
Orthotic And Prosthetics Professionals
Orthotic and prosthetics professionals are among the highest paid non-physician health care providers. These professionals design, fabricate, measure and fit orthotic and prosthetic devices for all ages. They work with artificial limbs, braces, and other medical or surgical prosthetic devices. Positions are found in a variety of industries including:
Predicted Rise in Employment: Predicted 22% Rise between 2016 and 2026
Required Education: Minimum of Masters Degree
Additional Information:The demand for orthotic and prosthetic professionals is expected to continue to grow as the baby boom population enters old age. Cardiovascular disease and diabetes, the leading causes of limb loss, are more common with older individuals.
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Alternative Careers For Speech Pathologists
Todays post is written by Crystal Bray, a health content writer and non-clinical SLP. She shares some great non-clinical and alternatives for speech-language pathologists!
Hey there, fellow speechie! Theres no doubt: speech and language pathology is a valuable, in-demand profession. Its a career that offers the opportunity to work with all sorts of patients in a variety of clinical settings.
But, working in direct patient care settings carries a high risk of burning out.
Whether youre feeling burned out or just want to explore what else might be out there for you, Im here to tell you: there are plenty of viable non-clinical SLP jobs to explore.
Early Intervention And K12 Schools

More than half of speech-language pathologists are employed in educational settings. Speech-language pathologists employed in educational settings may work in infant and toddler programs, preschools, and elementary and secondary schools.
Speech-language pathologists working in early intervention may do any of the following jobs:
- Address feeding disorders in infants and toddlers
- Provide parent education and training for promoting language development in toddlers
- Visit day care centers and other preschool settings to provide services to children with receptive and expressive language delays
Speech-language pathologists working in K12 schools may do any of the following jobs:
- Provide language therapy to help children follow directions and answer questions
- Collaborate with teachers to develop literacy skills in students, focusing on both letter-sound skills and vocabulary development
- Help students with autism work on job skills to transition to work settings
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What Is A Speech
Speech-language pathologists are health care professionals who identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems as well as swallowing disorders. They provide services to clients with disorders in the following areas:
- Speech disorders, including articulation problems, fluency disorders, and voice problems
- Language disorders, including receptive/expressive language, spoken and written language, and social/pragmatic language
- Swallowing disorders, including pediatric and adult feeding disorders
- Cognitive disorders, including dementia
Speech-language pathologists work with people all throughout the lifespan. Most people already know that speech-language pathologists help children pronounce sounds correctly. But speech-language pathologists do a lot more than that! Speech-language pathologists may also do any of the following jobs:
- Work with toddlers and preschoolers to develop early language skills
- Teach children and adults with autism to use speech devices to communicate their wants and needs
- Help veterans with head injuries recover language comprehension and production skills
Learn more about speech-language pathologistsfull scope of practice or take a closer look at speech-language pathology careers.
Some Of The Transferable Skills Slps Already Have:
- Communication: Its not hard to see how this is a pretty excellent skill to have. We not only get HOW folks communicate, we understand the WHAT and the WHY. Were trained to recognize and repair communication breakdowns when they happen.
- Yupits true. Ever had to explain what you do to a crotchety elderly man who insists he talks just fine or has been swallowing without help for 83 years! Uh-huh. Weve all been there! And its made us skilled at selling our services to those that need them.
- Technology and clinical processes: Think about it: how many EMR systems have you had to master over the years? Talk about technical troubleshooting!
- Managing deadlines: Shifting deadlines are nothing to a clinical SLP! We know how to juggle competing priorities AND get our documentation done on time.
- Customer service: We enjoy being of service to others. And we know how to put out all sorts of proverbial fires. Think about how many client-facing careers could benefit from our skills in this area!
- Subject matter expertise on the brain: From stroke recovery to TBIswe understand the brain and how it works. This knowledge is valuable in many non-clinical careers, especially in the rehab technology industry!
Regardless of your motivation, if you feel its time for a change from clinical work, trust yourself! Only you know what will make you happy. As an SLP, youve ALREADY got a lot to offer, so ignore those naysayers!
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