Q: Will I have some choice or ability to request particular clinical experiences?

A: Yes, each semester you will meet with the Director of the SLP clinic and discuss the practicum you have had as well as the clinical experiences you are interested in being assigned to in the future.

Q: How many clinic hours do your students typically get in their master’s program?

A: Over the past five (5) years students have accumulated an average of 490 clock hours in their two years of graduate study. The average number of different clinical settings each student worked in is five (5).

Q: Do your students do an externship?

A: No, we are very fortunate to have several excellent sites for clinical training in the local Memphis area, so our students participate in clinic throughout their academic program.

Q: What are some examples of the clinical facilities where your students do clinical practicum?

A: We place students in over 15 hospitals/medical facilities which provide experiences in acute, skilled nursing, rehabilitation, long-term care, and outpatient with clients of all ages. Some examples of unique hospital placements include St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and LeBonheur Children’s Hospital. There are several public schools in the area as well as private schools for children with special needs that provide practicum experiences. One site provides the opportunity to work with rehabilitation specialists and an SLP in assisting individuals to select and use augmentative communication devices. Several sites involve collaborating with allied professionals (OT, PT, physicians) in either a facility or the client’s home.

Q: What do you feel is the greatest asset to your clinical program?

A: There are at least four assets that make our clinical training program what it is:

•  1. Our clinical faculty – We have 10 clinical faculty members who are very committed to their students, clients, and the profession. They each have their areas of specialty; therefore, students learn how to work with their clients with the assistance and guidance of experts in that area. They all are committed to studying clinical education and search for the best way to teach students to be critical thinkers. Many are active in the profession and many participate in research with the academic faculty.

•  2. Our academic faculty – The academic faculty are very prominent in their fields of study. In addition to teaching and conducting research, they often support and collaborate with the clinical faculty on research projects. They also are available and very willing to serve as consultants in the clinic. We believe that the collaborative environment between the two faculties is a tremendous asset to the student.

•  3. Our clients – We have two university clinics serving hundreds of children and adults each year. Many of them come to the Memphis Speech and Hearing Center for services because of the state-of-the-art assessment and/or treatment available and/or the reputation the clinic has in the tri-state area.

•  4. Our students – The students at the U of M are bright, committed, collaborative, and caring. They take on the challenges of a new client or a difficult case and excel.

Q: Do I have to have all of my clinical observation hours completed before I begin practicum at the U of M?

A: No, ASHA no longer requires the completion of 25 observation hours prior to working directly with a client. You will participate in observation activities throughout your program as you are assigned to different clinical settings.

Q: If I observed clinic at a facility in my hometown during the break and not at a university, can I count the hours?

A: Yes, as long as it was with an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist or audiologist. We do need a signed letter from him/her stating the number of hours you observed and his/her ASHA certification number.