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Speech-Language Pathologists

Also called: Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), Speech Pathologist, Speech and Language Specialist

Where in the military? In the military: see titles from the Air Force or Navy.

What they do:
Assess and treat persons with speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. May select alternative communication systems and teach their use. May perform research related to speech and language problems.
On the job, you would:
  • Monitor patients' progress and adjust treatments accordingly.
  • Evaluate hearing or speech and language test results, barium swallow results, or medical or background information to diagnose and plan treatment for speech, language, fluency, voice, or swallowing disorders.
  • Administer hearing or speech and language evaluations, tests, or examinations to patients to collect information on type and degree of impairments, using written or oral tests or special instruments.

Knowledge

Arts and Humanities
  • English language
Health
  • therapy and counseling
  • medicine and dentistry
Education and Training
  • teaching and course design
Business
  • customer service

Skills

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

Abilities

Verbal
  • listen and understand what people say
  • communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
  • use rules to solve problems
  • come up with lots of ideas
Hearing and Speech
  • recognize spoken words
  • speak clearly
Visual Understanding
  • see hidden patterns

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include
helping people, teaching, and talking.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Concern for Others
  • Integrity
  • Cooperation
  • Dependability
  • Independence
  • Self Control

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Medical software
  • Avaaz Innovations Interactive Voice Analysis System IVANS
  • Bungalow Software Aphasia Tutor software
Analytical or scientific software
  • Avaaz Innovations Computerized Speech Research Environment CSRE
  • Language analysis software
Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel

Education

Education: (rated 5 of 5)
master's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Average Outlook
New job opportunities are likely in the future.
Salary
$69,100
per year, on average
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about speech-language pathologists.