Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences College of Public Health & Health Professions University of Florida Gainesville, FL

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1 Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences College of Public Health & Health Professions University of Florida Gainesville, FL MA-SLP Program Alumni Survey Results (2011 edition) Look for our next survey in early 2014!

2 About the Alumni Survey We administer the survey via SurveyMonkey every 3 years to graduates of UF s MA-SLP program. All survey respondents are at least one year post-graduation. This iteration of the survey had 38 questions. Item content dealt with: Jobs and Credentials, Current Professional Activities, & Perceptions of UF s MA-SLP Program. All responses were anonymous. The 79 individuals who graduated from the MA-SLP program during the years 2007, 2008, and 2009 were notified about the survey via repeated announcements. 38 of the 79 (48%) individuals we contacted completed the survey.

3 Results: Jobs and Credentials Among the respondents 100% report having worked as an SLP since graduating. 100% are currently employed as SLPs 84% have a full-time position 16% have one or more part-time positions 100% report holding either state licensure or certification 97% hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) 3% are currently applying

4 % of respondents When did you sign the employment contract for your first job as a speech-language pathologist? Prior to graduating Within 3 months of graduating Within 4 to 6 months of graduating Within 7 to 12 months of graduating 87% of our alumni were employed as SLPs within 3 months of graduation

5 % of respondents How relevant were your externship activities to the duties associated with your first SLP job? Not very Somewhat Very Nearly 80% of our alumni had externships which they judged as being very relevant to their subsequent jobs.

6 % of respondents Did your clinical externship site offer you a job after you graduated? Yes (and I accepted) Yes (but I declined) No Almost half of our alumni were offered jobs at their externship site.

7 Percent Which of the following best describes the setting of your current (or most recent) job? Our alumni are employed in a wide variety of settings. The most common sites are medical settings, private practice, and schools. Some work at more than one setting.

8 Percent Approximately what percentage of your work week is spent conducting the following activities? Our alumni are involved in a variety of professional activities, but spend most of their time in direct service provision to patients.

9 Percent Approximately what percentage of your caseload consists of work with the following clinical populations? Our alumni help patients deal with a variety of problems.

10 Have you participated in any of the following SLP-related activities since you graduated from the MA-SLP program? Area % involved Area % involved Supervising practicum students Public awareness activities Presenting local workshops Mentoring bachelor s clinicians Supervising SLP assistants 56% Writing for peerreviewed publications 52% Presenting state or national workshops 12% 8% 44% Writing grants 8% 32% Research 8% 24% Writing for newsletters, websites 4% Our alumni are involved in a range of professional activities

11 Program Ratings: How Are We Doing? Area In comparison to SLP colleagues who attended other graduate programs, how well prepared were you to meet the demands of your first job? Average Rating (out of 5) To what extent would you recommend the MA-SLP program at the University of Florida to potential graduate students? Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent

12 Overall, how well did the MA-SLP program prepare you for Area Professional activities during CFY. Professional activities post CFY. Administrative tasks (e.g., billing, scheduling). Understanding the causes and characteristics of communication disorders. Understanding the causes and characteristics of communication differences. Understanding how to assess communication disorders. Understanding how to assess communication differences. Average Rating (out of 5) Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent

13 Overall, how well did the MA-SLP program prepare you for Area Conducting evidence-based practice. Dealing with ethics in clinical practice. Adhering to scope of practice issues. Preventing the communication disorders that you address in your workplace? Treating communication disorders that you address in your workplace? Treating communication differences that you address in your workplace? Average Rating (out of 5) Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent

14 Open-ended Responses: Program Strengths What are the strengths of MA-SLP program at UF? Excellent faculty. Small classes, excellent access to faculty. Continued support and mentoring from faculty following graduation. Excellent coverage of etiologies and characteristics for most disorders. Strong preparation for pediatric cases; medical SLP. Excellent variety of practicum opportunities. Excellent clinical instruction at practicum sites. Emphasis on research-based practice.

15 Open-ended Responses: Suggestions/Program Weaknesses What are the weaknesses of MA-SLP program at UF? How can we strengthen the program? Provide more exposure to pediatric swallowing cases. Provide more how to instruction for treating communication disorders. Provide more coursework on certain aspects of medical speech-language pathology (e.g., TBI, tracheotomy). Provide more coursework and clinical activities related to autism; strengthen class and clinical offerings in pediatric language disorders. Build stronger ties between SLP and AuD programs. Steps we ve taken to implement suggestions/address perceived weaknesses. Dysphagia course expanded to 4 credit hours. Contracting with new practicum sites. Currently exploring strategies for introducing more problem-based learning/case-based learning into curriculum. Added a required course on cognitive communication disorders. Revamped language disorders curriculum; Added course with emphasis in autism. Currently developing activities that promote interaction and curricular exchange between student cohorts from the two programs

16 Some Final Comments From Our Alumni

17 Questions about the 2011 survey results? Contact: Ken Logan, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Associate Professor, Look for our next survey in early 2014!