Student Clinician for Communication Disorders Clinical Practicum
This experience is the first time that I have practiced aspects of what I will do as a licensed speech-language pathologist. The Speech-Language, Hearing, and Rehabilitation Department has completely shifted its views on the undergraduate clinician and the graduate clinician. They are taking collaborative roles in which each person may use their unique talents and leadership styles to learn from therapy.
Undergraduate clinicians like myself are assisting graduate clinicians in therapy, which are supervised by a professional speech-language pathologist. Each role is different, and undergraduate clinicians serve an active role in therapy in assisting the graduate clinician. The graduate clinician does more than the undergraduate clinician, but the two must work in harmony to best serve the client in therapy. As an undergraduate clinician, I have to lead two therapy sessions, with my graduate clinician acting as the assistant clinician. This will be a great experience that will help me apply my leadership philosophies in a team setting with the connection to my major and career path.
With my knowledge of leadership from the Honors Program and the class “Exploring Personal Leadership through Social Change,” I have used aspects of my leadership philosophy of the Social Change Model to be an effective clinician. In therapy, clinicians must individualize therapy per their individual clients. When there are two clinicians in therapy, each clinician has a different therapy style, and the two styles may be complimentary, but they must be focused on serving the client in the best way possible. Throughout my time as a student clinician, I have applied personal theories and values of leadership as well as articulate a leadership philosophy that encompasses my personal style, what I have learned about leadership from my Honors 401 courses, what I have learned about therapy techniques, and the unique interactions between clinicians and clients. Receiving constructive criticism as well as reflecting upon my strengths and weaknesses after each session has been beneficial to my development as a leader, citizen, and clinician.