Speech Pathology!! :)

During our project this week, I was given the opportunity to interview someone in the field of my interest. Her name is Katherine Roden. She is a Speech Pathologist who attained her degree at the University of Oklahoma! Woot Woot! She now works in elementary schools in Lawton and Walters. After Katherine graduated with a degree in Speech Pathology, she decided to go back to school to get a PhD in Education. So that’s just what she did! She took many of these classes online while she was working as a Speech Pathologist. This degree has really helped her since she does the majority of her work with children ranging from age 3 to 10. She says that her passion is children, but in speech path, you cannot attain a degree in exclusively to pediatrics. You also work with geriatrics, which include many elderly patients who have had medical incidents such as strokes. She says that her favorite part of her job is that one precise moment when you see the patient's eyes light up because they just realized that they are able to communicate something that they have never been able to do before. This is when the power of communication really touches home. She also says she loves the flexibility of her job. In Speech Pathology, there are so many different opportunities of locations to work at. You can work in a hospital, a clinic, an elementary school, a nursing home, or even private practice. Katherine loves that she has always been able to attend all of her children's school plays and all of their events. This flexibility in schedule and opportunities come because of her career choice. She is currently working in the school system, and she says it was always nice because when your kids get out of school, so do you. She says she loved that aspect of Speech Pathology.We also talked some about the program at OU. She said that it is a very competitive field, and that it is difficult to be accepted into the masters program. She also explained that not only was it competitive to get accepted, but "being there was extremely competitive." She said that they are not only looking for a good GPA, but they place a large emphasis on leadership, volunteer work, and your personal commitment and passion for the field of speech pathology. The extra curricular activities are a very important aspect to your resume when applying for the masters program. After speaking with Katherine, I am even more excited than ever (if that’s even possible) to jump right into it. I wish I could be a Speech Pathologist NOW! haha :) I found a website that talks a little more about Speech Language Pathology.... also I LOVE watching YouTube videos about it so here are a few of my favorites. :)

Kai's Speech Therapy

Madelyn's Speech Therapy

Kevin's Speech Therapy