My Experience as an SLP-CF in a Private Practice Setting
Caroline Cizek, SLP-CF
THE SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST CLINICAL FELLOWSHIP (CF)
I did it! I completed all 20 months (including 20 weeks of clinical practicum) of my graduate school program to obtain my Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology! While I was no longer officially a student, I still had the next step in my professional career: the clinical fellowship. The clinical fellowship (or CF) is considered the “bridge” between being a student requiring supervision when providing services and being an independent clinician within the practice. In order to obtain the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) through the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA), a total of 36 weeks (or 1260 hours) of clinical work are required. Examples of clinical settings may include a school, hospital, skilled nursing facility, and more. For me, I was looking forward to embarking on this experience at Ability Innovations. Here, I had the unique experience of beginning my professional career at a private practice.
THE SUPERVISORY PROCESS
As compared to graduate school where nearly every clinical session was observed and feedback was provided, in the clinical fellowship, ASHA requires 6 hours of direct and indirect supervision within 3-month intervals. At Ability Innovations, I had the great opportunity to have a supervisor who was nothing but supportive throughout my experience. If not for the opportunities for my supervisor and I to discuss sessions and collaborate, I would likely have not learned as many valuable therapeutic techniques and creative activities to provide for my clients. Documentation can be a learning curve for many, but this was also ideal for me to receive immediate feedback on how to document progress notes, evaluations, treatment plans, and discharge summaries in an informative and concise way. Overall, my supervisory experience in my CF felt like the ideal balance between receiving feedback and support while also having the increased independence in developing my own treatment plans and therapeutic style.
ASSESSMENT, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT (DON’T FORGET DOCUMENTATION!)
At Ability Innovations, I could easily access all available assessments ahead of an evaluation to ensure I understood administration protocols, as well as the purpose of assessment. This accessibility helped me to ensure adequate and culturally appropriate administration, in addition to increased confidence with selection and administration of certain assessments. Within the private practice specifically, I had the time and the space (shared office) with my coworkers to discuss assessments that were most likely to capture the abilities of clients with specific needs. This collaboration opportunity additionally assisted in sharing ideas for treatment methods among my workers, not only to listen to others’ ideas but I felt comfortable in sharing my own. Additionally regarding treatment, graduate school often included expectations for additional time to prep and plan for each session. At Ability Innovations, while I had the flexibility to prep materials as I pleased, it did not feel like an “assignment” for me to do each week. This was because the private practice provided ample resources to keep me from fretting about prep. In addition to the resources at our fingertips, the private practice encouraged open communication to request additional resources and continuing education to further our practice.
CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION WITH CAREGIVERS
Ability Innovations attracts children of various ages and abilities due to its open-concept, play-based philosophy which is represented in the vibrant setting containing objects and items to appeal to all interests. Part of this open concept is the accessibility of parents to observe sessions and be a true part of the therapy experience. Whether caregivers are closely observing, waiting for their child in the lobby, or actively participating in the session, Ability Innovations provides an ideal setting for direct communication between caregivers and care providers. Specifically, time and space is given to discuss the session, therapeutic techniques to practice at home, and overall progress. For parents, this is an outlet to bring questions, concerns, or suggestions directly to the care provider. I greatly appreciated this setting to meet a variety of kids with a diverse set of needs; however, I equally appreciated getting to meet their families and helping to personalize their treatment.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION WITH OTHER PROFESSIONS
In the private practice setting, I additionally enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with other therapy professions as the physical and occupational therapists are always within close reach (either within the shared workspace or in the open-concept therapy gym). In order to treat the whole child receiving more than one service, it is beneficial to learn about different types of therapy goals and approaches. Not only is this helpful in cases where I co-treat with another profession, but in individual sessions it is great to know different ways to help the child participate in sessions better and build rapport.
SENSE OF COMMUNITY WITH ENTIRE STAFF AND FAMILIES
Overall, one of the most significant aspects of working in a private practice such as Ability Innovations as a CF was the sense of belonging. This is heightened by getting to know the therapists and having close connections with members of the administration. By getting to meet and collaborate with employees at all levels of the company, it helped me feel supported upon coming to work and when closing out my day. With the small, close-knit community a private practice has to offer, it felt to me that everyone’s “door was always open” (literally and figuratively). Because of this, I felt comfortable asking questions and engaging in various interactions with others, helping me feel I was an essential piece to the therapy puzzle working toward a common goal. While the CF experience is about gradually increasing your independence, working in the private practice setting recognizes this independence but makes sure you do not feel alone. This setting allows your coworkers to really know you, support you you, and ensure that you are equipped with the resources to provide adequate, individualized care to the community members it serves.