Effectiveness of a Preexternship Hospital Orientation Program for Graduate Students in Speech-Language Pathology

Abstract

Purpose A preexternship hospital orientation program was developed in response to clinical externship supervisors providing feedback that students were not well prepared when entering the medical setting for the 1st time. This program aimed to introduce students to different medical settings where they could observe patients with a range of communication and swallowing disorders and their interactions with a speech-language pathologist. Method Students shadowed speech-language pathologists for a half-day at 4 different medical locations throughout the program. Forty-two students filled out pre- and postorientation surveys detailing their experiences and learning outcomes. Results An analysis of pre–post surveys indicates that students perceived a gain in working knowledge of several key areas, including assessment protocols, job demands, documentation, and interprofessional collaboration. Students also reported that the experience allowed them to make an informed choice regarding the type of externship or job they wished to pursue in the future. Conclusion Students reported favorable outcomes as a result of this observational experience. Clinical exposure programs should be considered as a modality for learning for speech-language pathology students.