The healthcare fields of speech-language pathology and bioethics are often not combined together in a substantial method. At this time, the ethical training for speech-language pathologists is superficial. At most universities and institutions, there is not a required ethics class for future speech-language therapists to take. There is no current requirement set by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) that requires a prerequisite course related to ethics. Therefore, future speech-language pathologists will receive little to no ethical training in both their undergraduate and graduate coursework for difficult moral scenarios they may face in their prospective careers. Once in their practicing careers, speech-language pathologists are only required to complete one hour of ethics training every three years according to ASHA. As a result of these poorly set ethical standards, clinicians are inadequately informed and equipped with resources to handle moral situations. Currently being an ethical speech-pathologist means you may have seen a few slides on ethical theories and principles in class but do not understand how to clinically apply them. This paper will argue the crucial need to reevaluate and raise the standards of what it means to be an ethical speech-language pathologist. My normative claims the need for a required ethics class that is specifically designed for speech-language pathology students during their graduate education, more nationally set requirements for ongoing ethical training for practicing clinicians, and greater scholarly journal research on the crossover of speech-language pathology and ethics. In utilizing a meta-approach, an assessment of the current ethical training and education will be evaluated. Additionally, three real-life case studies of moral dilemmas that commonly arise in the field will be used to demonstrate the current shallowness of ethical training and the importance of being an ethical clinician when it comes to providing the most well-rounded health care.

Sarah Sawicki was my first health care ethics professor here at SLU. After taking her introduction HCE class, she inspired me to add a HCE minor which eventually turned into a double major. Professor Sawicki taught ethics in a way that was easy to understand and applicable to current issues in the healthcare field. She treated her students as equals and was always willing to go the extra mile for her students both inside and outside of the classroom. I would not be presenting here today if it were not for Professor Sawicki and her continued guidance, inspiration, and mentorship.