As a #slp2b, I get very excited when people ask me about my major. Speech-language pathologists are professionals who treat people with communication and swallowing problems. It's a growing field that's in high demand, and incites passion in everyone involved with it.
Here are just 5 reasons why I chose to pursue a speech-language pathology career, and why you should too!
1) There are so many different opportunities
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You can choose to work with any age group from newborns to geriatrics, and people with any communication issue like stroke victims, people with autism, children with stutters, or infants with swallowing problems. There are many options for work environment too, such as hospitals, schools, private practices, in client homes, and more!
2) It's individualized
https://www.loyola.edu/academics/speech/graduate
You get to work with clients on a one-on-one basis and really focus on them and their needs. This allows for you to genuinely get to know them and develop a relationship with them, as well as give them your undivided attention.
3) You get to do meaningful work
Everyone has had a time where they just could not get somebody to understand what they were saying, no matter how hard they tried. Remember how frustrating that is? Now imagine dealing with this same problem all day, every day, with almost every person you try to speak to, and you can get an idea of what life is like for people with a communication disorder.
Your job will be to give somebody the power to use their voice. Can you imagine anything cooler than that?
4) The earnings aren't bad
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Of course you should only go into this field if you're truly passionate about it, but the median starting salary of around $60,000 a year with plenty of room for upward mobility is a nice perk.
