Is becoming a swallowing therapist right for me?
The first step to choosing a career is to make sure you are actually willing to commit to pursuing the career. You don’t want to waste your time doing something you don’t want to do. If you’re new here, you should read about:
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How to become a Swallowing Therapist
Becoming a swallowing therapist requires a combination of specialized education, clinical training, and certification. Here are some steps to consider:
- Earn a Bachelor’s Degree: Start by earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Communicative Disorders, Speech-Language Pathology, or a related field. This provides a strong foundation in human communication and medical sciences.
- Complete a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology: A Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology is required to practice as a swallowing therapist. These programs include coursework in swallowing disorders (dysphagia) and supervised clinical experiences.
- Complete Clinical Fellowship: After finishing the master’s degree, graduates must complete a clinical fellowship, which is a period of supervised professional practice to gain hands-on experience in diagnosing and treating swallowing disorders.
- Obtain Licensure and Certification: After completing the clinical fellowship, individuals must pass a national examination to become licensed. Many also choose to earn certification from a recognized professional organization, such as the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP).
- Pursue Specialized Training in Swallowing Disorders: While general speech-language pathology programs include dysphagia training, additional workshops, courses, or certifications in swallowing evaluation and treatment can help deepen expertise and expand career opportunities.