Admissions

We can accommodate clinical observations for a small number of college-level upper classmen (juniors and seniors) considering pursuing graduate education in the field of speech-language pathology.

Application instructions

Interested parties should complete this survey. Acceptance is subject to availability.

American Family Children’s Hospital

Inpatient pediatrics 

The American Family Children’s Hospital Inpatient Pediatric SLP service provides comprehensive evaluation and treatment services to children with medically complex conditions from birth to age 18. This practicum is medically intense and rigorous, with opportunities to gain experience in inpatient rehab, PICU and NICU.

• Acceptance of 1–2 students annually with semester variability. Supervisor will vary based on availability and interest.
• Minimum of four days per week, preferably in a row. These can vary based on the supervisor’s schedule.
• Full days required from approximately 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., though these hours might vary based on the supervisor’s schedule. Future absences within these hours may be discussed in advance with supervisor.
• Preference for a student with a strong desire to work in the inpatient pediatric setting; interview required.
• Additional exceptions may be considered for a student who has a strong desire for further inpatient NICU/PICU experience/observation.

Outpatient pediatric voice, swallow, airway, craniofacial 

The speech pathologists with the American Family Children’s Hospital Outpatient Clinic provide comprehensive services in evaluating and treating pediatric outpatients with:

• Feeding and swallowing disorders, often related to craniofacial or airway anomalies
• Voice and upper airway disorders, including cough and breathing difficulties and gender affirming voice services
• Resonance and articulation challenges related to craniofacial anomalies

Multidisciplinary coverage includes:

• Pediatric Aerodigestive Clinic
• Tracheostomy Clinic
• Feeding Intervention Team Clinic
• Cleft and Craniofacial Anomalies Clinic

This practicum is medically intense and rigorous. 

There might be days when the student will be seeing patients on-site at our Deming Way location, depending on the supervisor — the supervisor will vary based on availability. Qualified students will have completed the voice and swallowing courses and demonstrate a strong interest in these areas of medical speech pathology.

Additional details:

• Up to one student per semester
• Minimum of four days per week; actual days might vary based on supervisor’s schedule, but Friday is required.
• Full days required from approximately 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m., though these hours may vary based on the supervisor’s schedule. Future absences within these hours may be discussed in advance with the supervisor.
• Students should expect to spend time outside of clinic hours completing documentation
• Acceptance into the practicum will be determined by an interview

Adult outpatient neurogenic cognitive communication

The UW Health Adult Outpatient Neurogenic Cognitive-Communication Program is located across three clinic locations: University Avenue Rehabilitation Clinic in Middleton, Yahara Clinic in Monona and Eastpark Medical Center in Madison. This practicum might be at any of the locations based on supervisor availability. The speech-language pathologists are an integral part of neuro rehabilitation, providing comprehensive evaluation and treatment services within the domains of speech, language and cognitive communication.

• Acceptance of one student annually, typically for spring semester — the supervisor will vary based on availability and interest.
• Minimum of four days per week; actual days might vary based on the supervisor’s schedule.
• Full days required from approximately 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., though these hours might vary based on the supervisor’s schedule. Future absences within these hours may be discussed in advance with the supervisor.
• Preference for a student with a strong desire to work in an adult outpatient setting and/or with neurogenic cognitive communication disorders; interview required.
• Contact hours will be a mix of diagnostic and therapy hours, most in-person but with the possibility of telehealth modalities

University Avenue Rehabilitation Clinic

Outpatient pediatric speech and language

• Acceptance of up to one student per semester — the supervisor will vary based on availability and interest.
• Minimum of four days per week — actual days may vary based on the supervisor’s schedule
• Full days required from approximately 8 a.m.–5 p.m., though these hours might vary based on the supervisor’s schedule.
• Future absences within these hours may be discussed in advance with the supervisor
• Participation in pediatric case conference every other Thursday beginning at 7:30 a.m. is expected
• Preference for students with a strong desire to work in a pediatric outpatient setting and/or with developmental cognitive communication disorders; interview required.

Outpatient pediatric feeding and swallowing

• Acceptance of up to one student per semester, depending on supervisor availability
• Minimum of 3–4 days per week; actual days might vary based on the supervisor’s schedule
• Full days required from approximately 8 a.m.–5 p.m., though these hours might vary based on the supervisor’s schedule. Future absences within these hours may be discussed in advance with the supervisor.
• Participation in pediatric case conference every other Thursday beginning at 7:30 a.m. is expected
• Practicum takes place at multiple sites, including University Avenue Rehabilitation Clinic and American Family Children’s Hospital, with the potential for multidisciplinary clinic coverage at Waisman Center.
• Preference for a student with a strong desire to work with pediatric patients with feeding and swallowing disorders — patients are often complex and may have developmental cognitive communication disorders as well, for which the student will also provide treatment; interview required.

University Hospital

Adult swallow 

UW Health adult swallow service provides advanced evaluation and treatment to adult inpatient and outpatient populations. This practicum is medically intense and rigorous, requiring prior coursework in swallowing and swallowing disorders.

• Qualified students will have a strong interest in adult swallowing and medical speech pathology
• Acceptance into the practicum will be determined by an interview
• One student per semester (fall, spring and summer)
• Minimum of three full days per week; actual days might vary based on supervisor’s schedule
• Full days required from approximately 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m., though these hours might vary based on the supervisor’s schedule.
• Students should expect to spend time outside of clinic hours completing documentation
• Contact hours will be a mix of diagnostic and therapy hours, most in-person but with the possibility of telehealth modalities.
• Supervisor will vary based on availability and interest
• Students must work through their respective grad program for practicum placement

Adult voice 

UW Health adult voice service provides comprehensive voice services in evaluating and treating adult outpatients with voice and upper airway disorders, including cough and breathing difficulties and gender affirmation. This practicum is medically intense and rigorous.

• Qualified students will have completed the voice course and demonstrate a strong interest in the area of voice and upper airway disorders
• Acceptance into the practicum will be determined by an interview
• One student per semester (fall, spring and summer)
• Minimum of 3–4 days per week; actual days might vary based on the supervisor’s schedule
• Full days required from approximately 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m., though these hours might vary based on supervisor’s schedule. Future absences within these hours may be discussed in advance with the supervisor.
• Students should expect to spend time outside of clinic hours completing documentation
• Contact hours will be a mix of diagnostic and therapy hours, with in-person and telehealth modalities.
• Supervisor will vary based on availability and interest

Adult inpatient neurogenic cognitive communication

The UW Health adult inpatient neurogenic cognitive communication SLP service provides comprehensive evaluation and treatment services within the specialty domains of speech, language and cognitive communication. This practicum is medically intense and offers opportunities to gain experience with medical complexities, tracheostomies and speaking valves.

• Acceptance of two students annually with semester variability. Supervisor will vary based on availability and interest.
• Minimum of four days per week, preferably in a row — these might vary based on supervisor’s schedule.
• Full days required from approximately 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., though these hours might vary based on the supervisor’s schedule. Future absences within these hours may be discussed in advance with the supervisor.
• Preference for a student with a strong desire to work in an adult inpatient setting and/or with neurogenic cognitive communication disorders; interview required.

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.

UW Health Speech-Language Pathology is pleased to offer clinical practicum/externship opportunities that prepare students for professional practice in multiple specialty areas of medical speech-language pathology.

Upon successful completion of the practicum, students will have experience working directly with patients and families in assessment, intervention, counseling and care coordination. 

Supervision and signing of clinical hours and documentation are performed by qualified core staff speech-language pathologists at various UW Health locations.

Program length: 8-12 weeks

Location: Madison, Wis.

We have a robust Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Fellowship Program coordinated through the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Department of Surgery.  Learn more

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