SLP Clinical Education at MUSC

About the Experience

The program’s mission, vision, guiding principles, and strategic plan are rooted in the clinical preparation and training of future speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Our curriculum is uniquely designed to follow extant research and best practices. Each semester, beginning in the first semester, our SLP graduate students participate in a different clinical experience spanning a broad spectrum of patients and settings. During students’ first semester, they are introduced to the acute care setting at the MUSC hospital. Every subsequent semester, students participate in a diverse range of clinical experiences, which gives them many opportunities to be immersed in all aspects of patient care. In this semester, students are paired with a clinical partner allowing for the foundation and development of 21st century skills, specifically collaboration and teamwork. Each student’s participation in clinical activities is carefully coordinated with the program’s Director of Clinical Education and the supervising clinical educator.

Each clinical experience is paired with didactic/academic coursework that aligns with the clinical setting for the first four semesters. The intentional design of the academic coursework allows program faculty to define the optimal clinical learning experiences for each student depending on their interests and progression with both occupational and professional competencies. This integration between academic and clinical education allows students to make important connections between the classroom and the real-world clinical application.

In addition to clinical rotations, one of the program’s core designs is to emphasize active learning in the classroom. Examples of active learning include: case studies, role playing, small and large group discussion, practice of clinical skills, and debates. These activities ensure that students are engaged in practicing and refining their clinical skills throughout the entire curriculum, not just in a clinical setting. Active learning is commonly used in graduate education, and we are excited to incorporate them into SLP education!

Sample Clinical Rotations

The hours listed below are estimates of supervised clinical experiences in each semester. By the end of the program, all students must have earned a minimum of 400 total hours. 

Semester 1 (One day per week)

Adult acute/inpatient (MUSC Health)

Semester 2 (One day per week)

Adult inpatient or outpatient (MUSC Health or local facility)

Semester 3 (One day per week)

Pediatric outpatient (early intervention)

Semester 4 (One day per week)

School

Semester 5 (two to three days per week)

Student interest anywhere in the country (adult / pediatric, inpatient / outpatient / school)

Semester 6 (Full-time (clinician schedule dependent))

Full-time externship anywhere in the country (any)

CARES Therapy Clinic

The Community Aid Relief, Education, and Support (CARES) Therapy Clinic is a student-run, pro-bono clinic offering physical, occupational, and speech therapy services to uninsured and underinsured individuals in the Charleston, SC community. Under the supervision of licensed speech-language pathologists, students will work with clients on deficits in receptive and expressive language, motor speech, cognitive communication, and swallowing disorders. Clients visiting the clinic may have had a stroke, brain injury, hearing loss, developmental delay, a cleft palate, or cerebral palsy.

Become a Clinical Educator

Clinical educators serve an essential role in the education of our SLP graduate students! You can help prepare future speech-language pathologists and make a difference in our profession. The Division of Speech-Language Pathology at MUSC is always looking for new opportunities to provide clinical education for our students. We are currently seeking clinical educators for all settings, including adult and pediatric medical placements in acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, hospital outpatient centers, skilled nursing facilities, home health, early intervention, as well as private practices and schools.