About externships/practicums

Admissions

To be eligible for a speech-language pathology practicum at UW Health, you must be enrolled in a graduate-level affiliated, accredited speech-language pathology program and have arrangements made through your program advisor according to the application process for UW Health. 

Application process

Your affiliate university’s Speech-Language Pathology Program Director or clinical director should email the Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Rotation Coordinator to indicate their support for your acceptance, as well as to provide your contact information (email address and phone number). Students should not contact the Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Rotation Coordinator directly. Applications are due six months in advance of the desired start date.

Interview process

Applicants considered for acceptance may be invited for an in-person or virtual interview. 

Tuition and financial aid

You pay tuition to the school that you are attending. UW Health charges no additional fees. You are responsible for providing your living accommodations and transportation.

Curriculum

Speech-language pathology clinical rotations at UW Health follow the curriculum from the certification handbook for speech-language pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Your clinical experience includes:

  • Clinical experience in diagnosis and treatment of patients with supervision
  • Closely supervised and mentored clinical experiences
  • Advancement of skills learned in the classroom through practical application
  • Appropriate clinical documentation and professional responsibility
  • Preparation for integration into a practice or other professional setting
  • Opportunities to provide education and information to patients, caregivers and family members regarding various disorders, treatment techniques and compensatory strategies, including development of a home program for independent practice.
  • Opportunities to provide an in-service to the Speech Pathology Department. A topic related to and based upon current research and literature will be mutually agreed upon by the student and supervising speech language pathologist by midterm of internship and presented during the week prior to the final week of internship

Schedule

The learning schedule will vary depending on the assignment. You will follow the schedule of your designated supervising speech language pathologist. Hours can include four to five days per week with 8-hour days.