Series Note
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Title
Agents of Change: Undergraduate Students' Attitudes Following Observations of Speech-language Pathology Service Delivery: Preliminary Findings
Publication Date
2013
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Undergraduate communication sciences and disorders students' attitudes toward speech-language pathology (SLP) clinical services to children and adults prior to and following community-based observations were examined. Participants (n=25) completed an online survey to elicit their opinions regarding their perceptions of their observation experiences. Findings revealed that after completion of community-based SLP clinical observations, 16 (64%) respondents reported a continued interest in a child-based clinical focus; 12 (48%) respondents continued to consider a clinical interest in adults, while 5 respondents (20%) changed career interests to an adult focus based on their observation experiences. Findings support the notion that observations of SLP appear to significantly influence students' career choices. Clinical observations typically occur at the junior/senior undergraduate levels; therefore, suggestions are offered for inclusion of gerontology education embedded throughout the undergraduate communication sciences and disorders curricula to foster and expand students' knowledge of aging, and to prepare our students to meet the healthcare challenges of elders in the 21st century.
Original Citation
Miller, S. M., & Ciocci, S. R. (2013). Agents of Change: Undergraduate Students' Attitudes Following Observations of Speech-language Pathology Service Delivery: Preliminary Findings. Journal of Allied Health, 42(3), 141-146.
Virtual Commons Citation
Miller, Suzanne and Ciocci, Sandra (2013). Agents of Change: Undergraduate Students' Attitudes Following Observations of Speech-language Pathology Service Delivery: Preliminary Findings. In Special Education and Communication Disorders Faculty Publications. Paper 5.
Available at: https://vc.bridgew.edu/spec_commdis_fac/5