Year 2 Report
Written by: Riveea Satkunaratnam and Jenna Bang
We’re back (in-person) and better than ever! Over the past year, we SLP (speech-language pathologist)-to-be’s have weathered through academic units and placements that have challenged us to grow as clinicians.
You’ll be pleased to know that when asked how they felt they’ve grown since beginning this program, the University of Toronto SLP graduating class of 2023 turned to one word more than any other - confidence! We’ve learned to trust our instincts, critically evaluate what we’ve learned, and apply ourselves in real-world contexts; as one peer noted, they have started to feel “more like a clinician and less like a student.”
We’ve also experienced a shift in our perception of the discipline. Thinking back, many of us didn’t quite realize how all-encompassing and diverse the scope of SLP truly was when we hit submit on our ORPAS applications. Two years in, we’ve been exposed to a myriad of specialties within our scope, including several that we might not have considered before, such as swallowing, AAC, and cognitive-communication. One student succinctly put it as, “if allied health were a board game, SLP would be the 'jack of all trades' card.”
Entering our final units, we asked the Year 2s to share one key lesson they’ve learned from their placements. We would like to highlight a few messages that resonated with us:
Don't be afraid to say when you don't know something. Being able to say "I don't know" opens up the opportunity for learning to happen.
Not everything is by the book! You have to think quickly and modify your practice to suit the patient.
When things change last minute, when something goes wrong, or when a therapy plan doesn't work, just think "it is what it is" and try the next best thing. Don't fret about what's out of your control and instead work on what is in your control.
Your clinical judgement is always a work in progress and it's okay if someone's judgement isn't the same as yours. Be confident in what you decide.
With our eagerly-awaited graduation fast-approaching, it isn’t hard to imagine that emotions are running high. While there is some anxiety about flipping the page to this new chapter, there is also a definite air of excitement! It’s with gratitude that we recognize that we’ll be able to turn to the lasting relationships we’ve built with our peers, professors, and clinical educators as we embark on this next journey.