Are you some one who longs to
make a difference in people’s lives? Are you good at communication skills? Do
you enjoy working with people? Are you analytical and patient? Would you like
to take the road less travelled? If your answer to most of these questions is
yes, you might just make a very good Speech Pathologist and Audiologist.
What is BSLPA
But who is a Speech Pathologist
and Audiologist (SLPA) and what does he/she do?
BSLPAs are Doctors who are
trained to deal with all aspects of disordered communication. They diagnose and
provide rehabilitation services to both adults and children with speech,
language and hearing problems. A child who stutters or has a cleft palate, an
elderly person who has lost speech after a stroke, people with voice problems,
an infant whose parents suspect its hearing, people who have difficulty with
their hearing are some of the people that a SLA routinely sees.
Bachelors in Audiology & Speech language pathology (BASLP), as per the official website is study of normal
& disordered functioning of the auditory system, the speech mechanism, and
language processing. It is designed to produce professionals who are proficient
in treating persons with communication deficits such as fluency disorders,
motor disorders, language related disorders.
Speech pathology and Audiology are allied health careers where the professionals are qualified by special training, education, skills and experience to provide health care service and treatment. Once you earn the qualification, as a practitioner you will not be known as a physicians but rather known specifically as speech pathologists and audiologists.
There is likely to be an
increasing demand for their services in the corporate world too where people
are looking to improve their communication skills.
Career Opportunities:
- Speech-Language Pathologists
- Audiologists
- Speech, Language and Hearing Scientists
The job
prospects at home or abroad include diagnosing communication disorders and
swallowing disorders. Planning and implementing treatment in language, speech,
voice and swallowing disorders. Educating and counselling individuals,
families, co-workers, educators, and other persons in the community regarding
acceptance, adaptation, and decision making about communication, swallowing, or
other upper aero digestive concerns.
BASLP professionals work closely with ENT,
neurology, psychiatric, paediatrics, surgery and oncology departments in
hospitals, where cases involving hearing and speech-language related problems
crop up.
Audiologists and Speech-Language
Pathologists are independent professionals and are amongst the most sought
after professionals. There is a global shortage of these professionals. India
is a highly populated country and over 60 million people are in need of
speech, language and hearing services, for which there are only about 1000
professionals.
Student, who graduate from this course are
qualified to be appointed as Audiologists, Speech and Language Pathologists
in various disciplines. They are uniquely placed to fulfil a growing demand
from various walks of life. They are the authority in diagnosing and
managing problems related to communication and Hearing Disorders. The field
of Communication Sciences and Disorders is made up of Speech-Language
Pathologists, Audiologists, and Speech, Language and Hearing scientists. With
the advent of Cochlear Implants the role of the audiologists and speech and
language pathologists has become even more important.
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Speech-Language
pathologists :
Speech-Language pathologists are
professionals concerned with evaluation, treatment, prevention and research
in human communication and its disorders. They treat, manage speech and
language disorders and work with individuals of all ages, from infants to the
elderly. They diagnose and evaluate speech problems such as fluency (e.g.,
stuttering), articulation and voice disorders; language problems such as
aphasia; and delayed language and related disorders such as dysphagia (e.g.,
swallowing difficulties).
They design and carry out comprehensive
treatment plans to achieve the following:
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Audiologists are autonomous professionals
who identify, assess and manage disorders of the auditory, balance and other
related neural systems. Audiologists provide audiological (aural)
rehabilitation to children and adults. Audiologists select, fit and dispense
amplification systems such as hearing aids and related devices. Audiologists
help in preventation of hearing loss through the provision and fitting of
hearing protective devices, consultation on the effects of noise on hearing,
and consumer education. Audiologists are involved in auditory and related
research pertinent to the prevention, identification and management of
hearing loss; tinnitus; and balance system dysfunction. Audiologists serve as
expert witnesses in litigation related to their areas of expertise.
Their services and activities are as
follows:
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Speech, language and hearing scientists are
professionals concerned with exploring trends in communication sciences and
disorders, as well as developing strategies for improving or adding to the
knowledge base within the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology.
These scientists provide the foundation on which clinicians base their
practice methodology.
Research scientists:
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Once you are Graduated, you can consider employment in ,……
Hospitals &
Nursing Care Facilities: Most major
hospitals SLPAs, usually in the E.N.T. or the Neurology department. Occasionally
a separate department of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology may be
established. Many private hospitals have the services of a visiting SLPA, who
may visit several places.
Private
practice: There is an increase in demand for people in private practice
as here, the client usually has the advantages of a suitable time, shorter
distance etc.
Schools: Schools for
special children, (developmentally delayed, hearing impaired, children with
autism etc) welcome the services of SLPAs. One can also work in regular schools
where a sizeable chunk has different communication problems and also learning
disabilities. Most public schools in the U.S employ SLPAs.
Academic
institutions: Those inclined towards teaching can work in
training institutes that offer programmes in speech language pathology and
audiology, many of which are also engaged in research. Clinical jobs are also
usually available at these places. Clinical service refers to evaluation and
treatment of clients with communication disorders.
Industries: Large
industries sometimes employ a SLA to measure noise levels in the industries,
test the hearing of employees and also to provide them with rehabilitative
services.
N.G.Os: Some
N.G.Os work with disabled children and a SLA can help in the children’s rehabilitation
and also help train the workers at the grassroot level. These organizations
also provide the SLA an opportunity to work in the villages where there is an
acute dearth of speech and hearing facilities.
Hearing
aid/Cochlear implant companies: Big players in the field who manufacture hearing aids and
cochlear implants (cochlear implants are electronic devices that are surgically
implanted in hearing impaired people who don’t derive significant benefit from
hearing aids) employ audiologists to not only test clients and prescribe
appropriate aids but also to run rehabilitation programmes)
Ha, but before you envisage
yourself working in any of these settings, you must be aware of the required
Rehabilitation
Centers:
Home Health
Agencies:
Long-term
Care Facilities:
Research
Labs:
Centers for
Persons with Developmental Disabilities:
Community
Clinics:
College/University
Clinics:
Health
Department, State or Government Agencies:
Adult Day
Care Facilities and Business:
The BASLP & MASLP has one of the best career
prospects now. Majority of the students who joined the course last few years
are children of successful Doctors, who, despite having hospitals and nursing
homes of their own, elected to send their children for this course, taking into
consideration the enormous career opportunities.
Students who complete the BASLP & MASLP
course are eminently employable, within India and overseas. A fresh under
graduate starts with a basic salary of Rs.35,000, and post graduate Rs.45,000/-
in most centers and this is only likely to increase in the near future.
In many western countries the pay scale for
the Speech language Pathologist starts from US $75,000 and may go upto US$15000
. Pay scale for audiologist are even more attractive may vary from US$ 100000
to US$ 25000.Our students who are in the internship are already receiving
attractive offers from many centers overseas.
Training: The training programmes consist of a three-year
graduate course followed by a year of internship. Most institutes follow a
semester system. The post graduate programme is of two-year duration and
usually leads to a specialization in either Audiology or Speech Language
Pathology. Although one can start working after B.Sc., career prospects are
brighter for those with M.Sc. Entry into the course is after 12th
standard or equivalent. It is necessary to have studied science subjects in the
qualifying exam. Some institutes conduct an entrance exam for the bachelor’s
programme itself.
Admission to M.Sc. programmes is
usually through a written exam and the eligibility for that is a bachelor’s
degree in Speech and Hearing. There are also facilities for pursuing Ph.D. in
the field. For those, so desirous, Master’s and doctoral programmes can be
undertaken in many foreign universities. The training is both theoretical and
practical. It covers areas such as normal development of speech, language and
hearing, diagnosis of their disorders and treatment procedures. Inputs are also
given from fields as diverse as Linguistics, Psychology, Electronics, Human
Anatomy, physiology, Neurology and Statistics.
Scope- Consider these statistics, estimates of
communication disorders in the general population varies between 3 to 10%. In
most populous countries these translate to huge numbers of people in need of
the services of a SLPA. Not only in the developing countries but even in
advanced countries like U.S, Australia, England etc, there is a growing demand
for SLPAs.
Postgraduate Opportunities
Abroad:
A good number of locations abroad offer a Masters program in relevance to the academic background you have had. Australia, Malaysia, United Kingdom, United States, New Zealand, Canada etc. are few names that you can consider. However, US leads when it comes to the options offered in terms of the number of universities one can consider.
We can
suffice with the specific details provided you narrow down your list on the
interested locations for higher education.
However, as of now you may go through the following to gain an insight of the curriculum you can expect :
However, as of now you may go through the following to gain an insight of the curriculum you can expect :
University of Auckland, NZ
University of London, UK
University of Sydney, Australia
University At Buffalo, The State University Of Newyork, USA
University Of Iowa, USA
University Of Massachusetts Amherst, USA
University of London, UK
University of Sydney, Australia
University At Buffalo, The State University Of Newyork, USA
University Of Iowa, USA
University Of Massachusetts Amherst, USA
Case studies:
Our first Sri Lankan student Dakshika
Bandaranayake from Mahamaya Girl’s College Kandy, passed out from Bangalore
University in 2000 and has now secured a placement in U.S.A, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
and she is now earning a 6 figure
salary.
Savithra Panagoda from Colombo passed out
from Bangalore University & now lives & works in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Avinash, 22, passed out of a
prestigious Speech and Hearing institute in Bangalore in 2004 with a masters
degree and has secured placement With a U.S based employment agency which has
placed him in the school services.
Vijitha, 23, with a masters’
degree in speech pathology is employed by the smile Train project that treats
children with cleft palate and other facial deformities and is responsible for
implementing speech rehab services to 4 districts of her state.
Nitin, 25, was employed by a
hearing aid company soon after his bachelor’s course and after 3 years of work
is now drawing a 5 figure salary.
Aarthi, 25, teaches her favourite
subjects of voice and neurogenic communication disorders at her alma mater. She
is pursuing her doctoral degree and hopes to be elevated to an assistant
professorship in the near future.
Rama, 23, works in a pre school
for children with autism and finds great satisfaction that her dissertation
work with autistic children is now being put to use.
Ashutosh 35, is employed by a
public sector company as an industrial audiologist and has under his care the
hearing and communication health of nearly 2000 employees and their families.
There are many more such success
stories but suffice to say this is one career that is fulfilling, financially
rewarding and still unexplored. So welcome aboard and have a wonderful
future.
The burning
question is ….. Are you ready? Similar initiatives are cropping up all
over the globe. Our personal behaviours must change, and education is the way
forward.
Educating the
future generation increase achievement in applying innovative technology and
master skills for life work and citizenship in the 21st Century.
We are involved
in Educating Sri Lankan and Maldivian Advanced Level qualified students in
Indian Universities :
This programme is run by the
esteem Sri Lankan institution “AMASA EDUCATIONAL SERVICES in Association with
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL YOUTH EDUCATION FOUNDATION’’ for the last 21 years.
We do highly recommend you or
you’re A/L qualified children to study in India and value yourself as an
educated university graduate and become a valuable asset to the country.
There are many benefits for you and the country in studying in India – visit the site
There are many benefits for you and the country in studying in India – visit the site
for
further information or call 0777 840028.
By : G.A. Amodha Galgamuwa
By : G.A. Amodha Galgamuwa
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