In the dysphagia lab, most student researchers come in with a passion for learning more about a subfield of speech pathology, dysphagia. Dysphagia refers to swallowing difficulties. Through this lab, most students find a deeper interest in dysphagia and continue research in the field into graduate school and even doctoral programs. Many students in this lab will be better prepared to work in a medical setting as a speech pathologist.
Most students who become involved in research display curiousity to learn more about the field in which they are studying. Many students who want to pursue an undergraduate research position have to take initiative and seek out those opportunities. Professors often allow students to seek answers to research questions through exploration of topics and ideas.
Through work in a research lab, students are tasked with independent work that requires them to learn to balance their time effectively. Students are also taught how to work professionally with others, including other students and faculty members. In our lab specifically, we work with a faculty member from another department, which has helped in learning how to work on interprofessional, collaborative teams.