What Does it Mean to be a Clinical Fellow?
Creative Speech Therapy NYC has the unique opportunity of bringing on Miya Wilson, a clinical fellow, this fall. Miya is an incredibly hard-working and wonderful therapist and we are so grateful we get to have her with us. But what does it mean to be a clinical fellow of speech therapy? And what is the difference between a clinical fellow and a therapist who has finished their fellowship?
A clinical fellow, or CF SLP (Clinical Fellow Speech Language Pathologist) is defined by ASHA as the following:
“The SLP CF is a mentored professional experience that begins after the completion of academic course work and clinical practicum. The goal of the clinical fellowship is to allow the Clinical Fellow to transition between being a student enrolled in a communication sciences and disorders (CSD) program and being an independent provider of speech-language pathology clinical services.
The purpose of the CF (Clinical Fellowship) is to integrate and apply the knowledge from academic education and clinical training, evaluate strengths and identify limitations, develop and refine clinical skills consistent with the Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology, and advance the Clinical Fellow from needing constant supervision to being an independent practitioner.”
During their fellowship, a SLP CF will have a mentor to oversee the experience, provide feedback, and verify the work being done. Rachael mentored Miya the past four years while she completed her academic program. She is excited to continue to mentor her in a practical setting. Miya will be able to treat clients independently, observe client/patient evaluations and sessions, write reports, consult families, counsel families/clients, and attend and contribute to meetings related to the management of a client/patient’s diagnosis and treatment plan. Miya will be able to do everything needed to serve Creative Speech Therapy NYC clients!
Most SLP CFs will earn their CCC within 9 months, in one location, with one mentor in a full-time setting. The Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) is a nationally recognized professional credential with rigorous academic and professional requirements. The CCC is the main difference between an SLP (Speech Language Pathologist) and an SLP CF and it is available to a clinical fellow at the end of their fellowship.
Miya will be a valuable addition to the Creative Speech Therapy NYC team with her unique perspective and skills in the field of Speech Language Pathology. Originally from Japan, she is fluent in both English and Japanese. At Lehman College, she served as the Vice President for Finance on The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) Executive Council from 2020 to 2022. She also spearheaded the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action Workgroup to better recognize student intersectional diversity at US colleges and universities and to increase opportunities to educate students about cultural competence and humility. She comes to us with far more experience than the typical CF. She has presented four times at the ASHA national convention and as of 2023 is a published author in the area of language. We could not be luckier to have her.
Welcome, Miya!
Blog by: Jane Wright, Office Manager/Marketing Director