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Welcome to a new school year!
My name is Nina Aghdasi and I am Speech-Language and Audiology Canada (SAC)'s Student Director (formerly known as the National Student Advisor or NSA) for the 2014-2015 year. I can't tell you how excited I am to represent student interests, ideas and concerns to our national association in my position on the Board of Directors.
I am a second-year speech-language pathology student at the University of Toronto. I initially became involved with SAC as a Student Representative because I was impressed by SAC's advocacy work, but while volunteering as a Student Rep I came to really appreciate something else: the value SAC places on student input. After all, we have a unique perspective on the future of our profession, which is why I think it's so important that students become involved in our professional association.
In my role as Student Director, I'll work with Student Representatives from all eleven schools with S-LP or audiology programs in Canada to understand your needs and concerns. I encourage you to contact me via Twitter or email with questions or feedback at any time throughout the year. You can also contact your school's Student Rep or join SAC's Facebook group to connect with other students from across the country. And of course, you'll continue to receive Student Speak, which features important information and dates as well as updates from each of the schools.
I hope that the coming year brings you much growth and success both academically and personally. I also hope that you'll help me represent your interests to SAC. If you haven’t already, please consider becoming a Student Representative for your school. You can even apply to be the next Student Director as long as you're an SAC student associate at the time you apply — stay tuned for details!
I look forward to hearing from you,
Nina Aghdasi
2014-2015 Student Director
studentdirector@sac-oac.ca
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September 19, 2014:
Differential Diagnosis and Management of Acquired Dysarthrias workshop by Joseph Duffy in Moncton, NB
October 15, 2014:
Deadline for applications to SAC's Scholarship Program
December 1, 2014:
Submission deadline for an Isabel Richard Student Paper Award
December 10, 2014:
Peer nomination deadline for SAC's Student Excellence Awards
January 31, 2015:
Deadline for applications, changes or cancellations for spring clinical certification exam
March 28, 2015:
Spring clinical certification exam
June 30, 2015
Deadline for applications for fall clinical certification exam
July 31, 2015
Deadline for changes or cancellations for fall clinical certification exam
September 12, 2015
Fall clinical certification exam
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Careers in Communication Health: Where Will Your Degree Take You? (Part One)
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Hospitals are a great option for communication health professionals who enjoy working
in varied, fast-paced environments.
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You've already made the decision to become a communication health professional, but do you know where you want to work after graduation? We're pleased to introduce "Careers in Communication Health", a new three-part Student Speak series designed to give you a glimpse into real-life careers in speech-language pathology and audiology across different settings. Part One, below, looks at what it's like to work in a medical setting as a hospital-based clinician.
When we think of communication health professionals working in a hospital environment, we tend to picture an audiologist evaluating a patient's cochlear implant in a hearing clinic or an S-LP providing speech therapy to a young child in an outpatient treatment centre. But what many people might not realize is that communication health professionals in hospitals offer a high volume of acute care inpatient services as well, making them a crucial component of health-care teams. So what can you expect if you choose to work in a hospital environment?
The professionals we interviewed all agreed that, above all, you need to be prepared for anything. “You have to be very independent and very flexible," says Valentine Weber,
S-LP(C), from the Montreal Neurological Hospital. “Every day is a surprise.”
And that, she assures us, is one of the best parts of the job. Working in a hospital is a great option for young professionals looking for variety. "In one day, I can go from working with infant ABRs [auditory brainstem responses], to the operating room, to seeing older kids with hearing aids," says Vicky Papaioannou, Aud(C), from Toronto's SickKids Hospital.
Of course, the diverse workload is not without its challenges. Indira Mike, S-LP(C), of Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre cautions that the caseload demands can be an obstacle. "Patients may be struggling with the impairment, the diagnosis, the difficulty … some need a lot more support than others. When you have 15 patients waiting for you it’s hard to say 'I’d love to talk to you, but I have to run.'"
And Weber notes that the busy environment and high turnover in hospitals impact patient follow-up. "What’s hard is that we see patients in the acute stage of their illness and then we don’t see them again, so we get little feedback about what they’ve become and what therapy has done for them. We don’t get to see their progress. That’s a difficult aspect of it."
However, Papaioannou believes that hectic hospital settings can present young clinicians with a great advantage for growth. "Ask questions! We have many audiologists here and we all ask each other questions, even with 10-15 years’ experience. The more things you can see, the more clinicians you observe, the more patients you interact with, the better prepared you’ll be." Asking questions, she notes, also keeps you open to learning new ways of doing things; the diverse workload you'll find in a hospital is a great catalyst for lifelong learning: "For every question you ask there are probably three more you didn’t think to ask. You can learn from every experience, every patient."
Students might be surprised to learn that hospital work also involves a significant amount of bureaucracy and administration. "What I didn’t think about is that there is quite a bit of paperwork," says Weber. "You have to apply for equipment, apply for rehab, apply for this, apply for that … [there's] a lot of office work [that] you have to do.” But Weber doesn’t find this frustrating ("I find it restful, actually!") since the administrative side of things can provide downtime after a busy day of intense therapy or acute care counselling.
Counselling is especially important to hospital-based work, particularly with regards to inpatient care. Papaioannou notes that she's helped young patients that have lost their hearing due to tragic circumstances, such as cancer or motor vehicle accidents. Although it can be difficult work at times, it's well worth it. "The children just brighten my day, whether it’s my own patients or others, the funny things they say, the stories they tell … children can do so much."
Weber, who works primarily with adults, sees the value in the counselling she provides to patients and their families, too. "I wanted to be in the 'helping profession' and that aspect is exactly as I thought it would be," she says.
If you’re wondering what qualities a recent graduate should bring with them to a hospital, Papaioannou reminds us that communication health delivery is, first and foremost, a customer-service profession. "We really are there for the public and we would do well to remember that. We need to make sure patients and clients are happy, especially when there’s a direct cost to the family. We need to go into an interaction thinking [about service] rather than just saying 'well, I'm the expert.'"
Not sure if a medical setting is right for you? Mike tells us that anyone who loves a challenge is well-suited to hospital work. "I would suggest that if they’re really interested in medical conditions and diagnostic work, if they want to continually challenge themselves … I think they’ll find this as rewarding as I have.”
Stay tuned for Part Two in our "Careers in Communication Health" series, which will focus on communication health professionals in an educational setting. Special thanks go to the following individuals for their assistance with Part One:
Indira Mike, M.Sc., S-LP(C)
Clinical Service Leader, Speech-Language Pathology Adult Services, Health Sciences Centre (Winnipeg, MB)
Vicky Papaioannou, M.Cl.Sc., Aud(C)
Audiology Practice Leader and Associate Director of the Cochlear Implant Program, SickKids Hospital (Toronto, ON)
Valentine Weber, M.Sc.(A), S-LP(C)
Speech-Language Pathologist, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal Neurological Hospital (Montreal, QC)
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SAC Scholarships and Awards: Your Chance to Shine
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Each year, SAC offers student associates in their final year of study several scholarship opportunities to support their goals of becoming speech-language pathologists or audiologists.
These scholarships range from $1,000 to $2,000 and are available to full-time students enrolled in a master's degree program in speech-language pathology or audiology. (Students who are enrolled in a full-time doctorate degree program (AuD), who have not previously completed a master’s degree program in audiology, are also eligible.)
Please visit our website to learn more about the scholarships and download the application forms. The SAC office must receive all applications by October 15, 2014.
Please contact Nancy Vardy, Membership Assistant, at nancy@sac-oac.ca if you have any questions about our scholarship program.
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SAC has two awards specifically for its student associates:
Isabel Richard Student Paper Awards
These awards recognize the best papers written by SAC student associates on a specific topic related to the professions. Student associates in a speech-language pathology or audiology program and doctoral student associates in any program are eligible. Each winner will receive a $1,500 cash prize, a continuing education voucher for SAC’s professional development program and a framed certificate. Plus, we’ll publish the winning papers on our blog, Communiqué!
Application deadline: December 1, 2014
Student Excellence Awards
SAC student associates in their graduating year of study in each of the speech-language pathology and audiology training programs in Canada are eligible for these awards. They recognize the best all-round future professionals who have shown significant enthusiasm for their field of study and have inspired others to contribute to the development and growth of the professions. Winners receive a continuing education voucher for SAC’s professional development program and a mounted certificate… not to mention some pretty great bragging rights!
Peer nomination deadline: December 10, 2014
Please visit our website to read the full award descriptions and download the application forms. You can contact Riana Topan, Communications Assistant, at riana@sac-oac.ca with questions.
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What I Learned About SAC This Summer
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By Priscilla Ally, speech-language pathology student, McGill University
 Being an S-LP grad student, I joined SAC because I wanted to learn more about the organization promoting and advocating for for my future profession. Little did I know that, this past summer, I would have the opportunity to get to know SAC in a way I never expected. I became SAC’s summer student and it was the perfect way to transition from my first to second year of grad school. Not only was it great to meet and work with the SAC team, but I also discovered all of the ways in which SAC supports and represents S-LPs, audiologists and communication health assistants.
One of my major tasks at SAC was data organization. I made spreadsheets for a number of projects ranging from finding out what textbooks different grad school programs are using to determining trends in continuing education activities for both audiologists and S-LPs. One of my main projects involved gathering statistics about the prevalence and incidence of communication disorders affecting Canada’s pediatric and aging populations.
Associations like SAC need an abundance of data, research, literature and information to drive their work. I was glad to help make some of this information more accessible; SAC provides so many valuable resources to the public and clinicians, and the information they share has to be kept constantly up-to-date.
My summer experience has given me a new perspective on the speech, language, hearing, swallowing and balance disorders that we learn about in class. Knowing how prevalent communication disorders are in Canada highlights the importance of communication health professionals, as well as SAC’s role in championing communication health. I now know about how SAC empowers and elevates both current and future professionals by providing clinical certification, resources and professional development opportunities. It was also great to see SAC working to increase awareness of communication disorders among the public.
As I prepare to begin my last year of grad school, I can’t help but be inspired knowing how hard SAC is working to support, advocate and elevate my future profession and future colleagues.
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We know that as a student, you're busy. Between staying on top of your classes and assignments, doing practicums and volunteer work and making connections with peers and mentors, you have a lot to keep track of. That's why we have a manual just for our student associates — it will tell you everything you need to know about SAC and remind of you of why it pays to be part of your national professional association.
We hope you find this resource helpful! And don't forget that your Student Director, Student Representatives, SAC's staff and Board of Directors are also here to answer your questions at any time.
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André Lafargue’s Lifetime Achievement Award Acceptance Speech (excerpt)
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The following is an excerpt from the acceptance speech of André Lafargue, winner of SAC's 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award. We're sharing his words here because we found his message to the next generation of communication health professionals incredibly inspiring.
"I would like to conclude by passing on advice to the numerous students present today, including student volunteers at this conference and those recipients of Student Awards who stand here today to be recognized. As SAC embarks in a new era — as our world advances at warp speed when (O-M-G! am I really going to say this? Ha!) short acronyms are replacing longer, cumbersome sentences — I say: please, please take the time to slow down, to reflect on the meaning and purpose of your chosen profession. Most of all, take the time to get involved in whatever capacity you can to help carry the torch offered to you today by so many people present here and others who have given of their time and energy to prepare the path for you on the provincial or national level. They have already taken the time to develop and shape the services across this wonderful country… or better still, across the world! Get involved to put your own trademark on what is offered to you!
"May you be standing in front of your peers 30 or more years from now — under whatever name the organization will have at that time — as I am today, receiving this award and echoing my few last words. NON RIEN DE RIEN… NON - JE NE REGRETTE RIEN [No, nothing at all ... no, I regret nothing]!
"Long live SAC! Thank you all!"
Captions for above photos: André Lafargue and Judy Meintzer pose for a photo after André receives his award; André's photo in the Memorial University of Newfoundland yearbook in 1971.
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