How Medical SLP Experiences Vary and Why It’s Important We Talk About It
November 3, 2022
7:00-9:00 p.m. ET
Presented and sponsored by The Medical SLP Collective
Join our medical SLP panelists to chat about the importance of sharing case studies and clinical experiences with others. In turn, we’ll share case studies and different on-the-job experiences as medical SLPs across various medical environments. Hear about the mistakes we’ve learned from, differing opinions, and why it’s essential to get a variety of perspectives as you continue to grow your clinical skills. Between mistakes that made us and surprising outcomes that go against the grain of research, we’re excited to talk about them (and hope you’ll talk about yours, too).
Panelists:
- Casey Quinn-Daly, MA, MSEd, CCC-SLP
- Tiffany Wallace MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-S
- Kelly Caldwell MA, MS, CCC-SLP
- Ashley Michaelis, MS, CCC-SLP
This free event is open to all ASHA members and non-members. It is not offered for PDHs, CMHs, or ASHA CEUs.
Following is the transcript from this text-based event (no audio or video).
Jennifer Fatemi, ASHA Moderator
Welcome everyone! We will be getting started shortly.
Before we begin taking questions, I would like to make a few administrative comments.
- Please keep in mind that this is a web chat and, therefore, there is no audio or video.
- Questions are typically posted one at a time, in the order they are received.
- Upon formulating a response, panelists will post answers to your questions.
- Should you wish to ask a follow-up question to a previously posted question, please submit it as a new question rather than adding it to the comments box.
Please give a big Thank You to the sponsor, The Medical SLP Collective.
Ok, it's officially time to start. Our panelists for this event are
Kelly Caldwell is a Speech-Language Pathologist at a Voice Clinic in Anderson, SC. She earned her Master of Arts in Teaching- Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders degree from East Carolina University. Special interests include functional dysphagia, dysphonia, and upper airway disorders. Outside of the clinic, Kelly enjoys mentoring SLPs on the Med SLP Collective. She is currently serving SCSHA as the Vice President of Government Affairs.
Tiffani Wallace is a Board-Certified Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (BCS-S). She works full time in home health, is the owner and author of the blog Dysphagia Ramblings and the owner and endoscopist at Hoosier Mobile Dysphagia Solutions offering mobile FEES for North Central Indiana. Tiffani is the co-author of the apps Dyspahgia2Go and Dysphagia Therapy and the author of the app iScreen Aphasia. Tiffani travels around the country speaking on the topic of dysphagia and has created several Webinars for SpeechPathology.com and Northern Speech Services. Tiffani was also on the podcast Swallow Your Pride on episodes 2 and 50 and is a mentor for the Medical SLP Collective. Tiffani is the creator and administrator of multiple Facebook groups focused on dysphagia including Dysphagia Therapy Group Professional Edition. Tiffani is also the co-author of the upcoming book The Adult Dysphagia Pocket Guide Neuroanatomy to Clinical Practice from Plural Publishing.
Ashley Michaelis, M.S., CCC-SLP (she/her/hers) is the owner of Empowered Voice Rehabilitation LLC and a mentor for the Medical SLP Collective. She has over 10 years of experience in the field working in a variety of settings across the lifespan. She received her undergraduate degree from Case Western Reserve University and her graduate degree from the University of Wyoming. She has been a visiting lecturer and adjunct professor at the University level. She is passionate about the areas of singing voice rehabilitation, voice disorders, swallowing disorders, upper airway disorders, and neurogenic communication disorders. She is an ASHA ACE Award Recipient and an ASHA S.T.E.P. Mentor. In her free time, Ashley loves to spend time with her family and dogs, as well as perform with local community theaters.
Casey Quinn-Daly has been a speech-language pathologist for seven years. She has worked in skilled nursing, outpatient, inpatient rehab, and acute care settings. She has experience working with medically complex patients across the lifespan. Casey joined the Medical SLP Collective team in April 2020 and has most recently taken on the role of Community Director. She is passionate about education and advocacy in its entirety, not only for the field of speech-language pathology but for caregivers and patients.
Jennifer Fatemi, ASHA Moderator
Thank you for joining us this evening panelists and I will now post the first question.
Question 1: Submitted by Samantha
Why is it important to share case studies and different job experiences?
Tiffani Wallace
For me, it’s always been important to see what others do in a particular setting or with a particular patient. To me watching case studies helps me to utilize the information I’ve learned to apply it to an actual patient. Collaboration with other SLPs can be the best learning experience.
Ashley Michaelis
Personally, I find that sharing case studies allows me to look at aspects of a case that I may not have considered and learn how others may look at it differently. This can lead to a more holistic approach and help me with removing possible biases. I find this leads to better patient outcomes because I am not just looking through my own lens.
Kelly Caldwell
Hi Samantha. I've found in my years in education (as a music teacher) as well as in speech-language pathology that there is a wide range of function for all of the different disorders we see, and in the lens of one single job, or one single case, we can fall into the trap of missing perspective of what's next in the journey for that patient. It helps us to provide better person-centered care when we learn from our colleagues' experiences. My own single clinical experience can never replace the broad experience available by talking with colleagues about their cases.
Casey Quinn-Daly
Collaboration is also something that I craved in the acute care and inpatient rehab settings. I personally have learned a lot from other colleagues such as PT/OT, RNs, PAs, MDs and part of that included case studies and each discipline’s role in patient care.
Kelly Caldwell
I also have found that doctors chat about case studies and patterns of practice to help broaden their experiences, and we can learn from our medical colleagues. Grand rounds are a certainly a more formal way of adding these conversations to your practice, but not always a practical step when you are a single SLP in a rural healthcare system. I'm constantly learning something new - even from my colleagues' clinical notes- which helps broaden my own perspective.
Question 2: Submitted by Samantha
What takeaways have you learned from your shared experience?
Ashley Michaelis
Having taught at the university level and also supervised many graduate student clinicians from different schools and backgrounds, I am acutely aware of vast differences in baseline knowledge. Students are entering our field with such varying degrees of knowledge and competency. Part of this is related to just how broad our field is. There is no way for any one of us to know everything about every part of our field. Collaborating and being willing to learn from others and shift/change your practice based on new information can be so important.
Kelly Caldwell
When I share my experiences with colleagues, over time we learn to be vulnerable with each other. That sense of trust creates smooth continuity of care whenever we may share patients from one practice or facility to another. It's hard to be vulnerable because of the fear associated with asking questions. Opening that door one way (us consulting with a colleague) can also promote the return - they open that door to consult with you. We become partners with colleagues we trust. In graduate school, we're scared to get the answer wrong, but in the real world, we continue to find the answer that is the best in that specific situation, which might not be the choice you'd pick from a multiple choice test!
Question 3: Submitted by Jennifer Fatemi, ASHA Moderator
Can you or any of the panelists share a case study from your clinical practice that re-shaped the way you practice?
Tiffani Wallace
I think what really shaped my practice in dysphagia was watching case studies at various courses with swallows that weren’t perfect, but were functional. That really helped me to go back and look at my patients earlier in my career and to realize that not every swallow would look the same.
Casey Quinn-Daly
Following up with what Tiffani said, I also feel that case studies presented in courses really opened my eyes and made me re-evaluate how I was practicing and highlighted the importance of function.
Kelly Caldwell
I learned a concept from Dr. Peter Belafsky about the boxing ring (will explain in a moment). Not long after that workshop, this case comes along with a very elderly head and neck cancer patient on a palliative plan of care. She wasn't there to see me for aggressive care but to figure out how to swallow best in her situation. She didn't need me to get into the boxing ring and fight for her or fight with her - she needed me to help her become "okay" with staying out of the boxing ring and compensate for the dysphagia in the most comfortable way possible. Since I implemented this philosophy into my care with patients (outside of the context of head and neck cancer or dysphagia), I believe I have more holistic as a provider in every other situation from aphasia to voice to cognition. It also gives a different perspective on making referrals to colleagues - maybe they just need a different coach than me, and that's okay too. It's given me a lot of peace.
Ashley Michaelis
At a previous job where I was seeing a large number of patients diagnosed with movement disorders, I occasionally had the opportunity to sit in on the physician's Movement Disorders Grand Rounds and listen to their case studies. Often times, allowing myself to learn more about the physician's approach, what they were struggling with in treatment, or what their goals were for the patient would allow me to have a better understanding of what was going on outside of "SLP island." I could then utilize that knowledge to help provide better holistic, patient-centered treatment for other patients experiencing similar issues.
Casey Quinn-Daly
I remember a really tough case that I will take with me for life. This particular case was the epitome of collaboration on all fronts (ST, MD, RT, RN, patient, and family). Patient had experienced two strokes with the second stroke resulting in locked in syndrome. We were able to go in to assist with establishing mode of communication so that the patient could express wishes in regards to end of life decisions. It was the most one of the most rewarding moments (if not the most rewarding moment) in my career thus far. As far as re-shaping my practice, I would say that it has provided me with perspective and I find myself reaching out and leaning on colleagues more to purposely collaborate so we can continually learn from one another and take a more holistic approach.
Question 4: Submitted by Karen Grast
Can you share some resources that you would use for sharing information with other medical slps that are online?
Tiffani Wallace
There are so many resources available. There are several blogs that share great content, many Facebook groups where questions are answered. The Med SLP Collective, of course offers many resources. There are several sites that you can buy resources. I think Teachers Pay Teachers actually has resources that can be downloaded or purchased for adult based therapy. I also think the STEP portal offers quite a bit of information and learning. I just don’t know enough about it to know if there is collaboration on it.
Kelly Caldwell
In terms of resources to share: there are a few subscription services that run the whole range of anything you could possibly dream of. The informed SLP, the med SLP collective, ASHA SIG chats (don't forget about the library!!), state associations sometimes have resources for SLPs, and then pay-as-you go resources like teachers pay teachers, and individual SLP business owners. I also spend my time creating patient-friendly or clinician-usable resource with just about every CEU I attend. In SC we have a regional journal club and prior to COVID we had gatherings throughout the year to share resources in our region. The blossoming of online resources in the last 10+ years has given us many opportunities (free or paid) for places to find resources.
Question 5: Submitted by Jennifer Fatemi, ASHA Moderator
How often do you lean on mentors or colleagues when discussing clinical cases?
Tiffani Wallace
For me, I have a group of friends that I always go to with new cases or something that maybe I’m a little rust with or haven’t had in some time. It’s important to have those friends that stay current, especially in areas that you maybe don’t treat as often. I always have said SLPs tend to have to be a jack of all trades out in the field. I never know what I’m walking into from day to day.
Kelly Caldwell
In my work at the ENT practice, I'm speaking with a doctor or staff member throughout the day about shared cases. Today at work, I spoke with a doctor or the nurse practitioner at least twice; some days it's more. In terms of contacting SLP colleagues, I'd estimate probably 2-6 times a week on purely clinical questions or discussions.
Ashley Michaelis
I'm 10+ years into my career and I am very frequently reaching out to mentors and colleagues when discussing clinical cases. I was in the unfortunate situation early during my career where I did not have access to good mentors and it caused a lot of compassion fatigue, burn-out, depression, and I considered leaving the field altogether. I felt really isolated and like "how in the world am I ever supposed to have the answers for all of these patients?!" Our field is so vast and constantly evolving. It's impossible to keep up with every little change on your own. I worked really hard to build a network of colleagues and mentors that I could go to and I rely on them a lot because I recognize that if I want to provide the best, most effective treatment and stay current for all of my various patients that I need to see my own limitations and be open to constant learning...
Casey Quinn-Daly
When I was clinically practicing, I would reach out to other disciplines as much as possible to foster connections (within my facilities, but also outside of my facilities). Some of the best conversations I have had ended in connecting puzzle pieces with other colleagues and subsequently improve patient outcomes.
Ashley Michaelis
I also talk on a fairly regular basis with a lot of the graduate student clinicians that I have supervised over the years and now are out practicing in the field. They often call me to discuss their cases and I will often bounce ideas off of them knowing that our shared collective knowledge is far more powerful than my own in isolation. I'm so grateful that it seems like there are a growing number of avenues for individuals coming into the field or even those of us who have been practicing for a while to find and connect with new mentors.
Question 6: Submitted by Devon Palmer
What are some ways you are sharing case studies? And do you feel this significantly improves learning outcomes? Can you share what you are doing currently?
Tiffani Wallace
I am very often communicating with our PT or OT about shared patients so that they know the basic information on the patient, but I tell them what my goals are for the patient. I currently have a patient with head and neck cancer with posture issues from radiation therapy that I am working very closely with our PT so that we are on the same page. We both are doing some myofascial release, but his treatment is not as specifically related to swallowing as mine. He is working on the upright head posture for the patient which in turn helps with swallowing. We talk on the phone or text after every treatment session with this patient.
Kelly Caldwell
In my circle of SLP contacts, I choose a colleague who would be a likely expert who could help. I also have doctors with whom I can talk about cases. Recently, I had a patient with a suspected diagnosis who was getting a work-up. I contacted a specialty physician about her suspected condition and whether or not he believed a referral to his specialty would be indicated - before I went "barking up the wrong tree" in that situation and recommending a consult that wouldn't be fruitful. In outpatient, referrals to specialists can get very expensive for patients, and it's important that even in recommending referrals we are judicious in that process and have an expected outcome in mind. I'm hopeful that in the course of the work-up for this patient, this specialist I've contacted will eventually see this patient.
Ashley Michaelis
Some different ways I share case studies are through "SLP Lunch & Learns" with colleagues, attending journal clubs, discussing cases at rounds or during an interdisciplinary clinic. When I am teaching at the university level, I always try to include case studies with some sort of hands-on learning to help build critical thinking skills. MedSLP Collective is also a great place to deep dive into case studies on the forum, through the webinars, or through the Summit presentations. I feel that when case studies are presented in a way that facilitates critical thinking that they can definitely improve learning outcomes for us as clinicians and also patient outcomes.
Casey Quinn-Daly
In the past I have contacted colleagues I considered knowledgable in a particular area and would connect to discuss different cases. I have also sought out other colleagues such as neurologists, GI, ENT, PT, OT, dietician, etc.
Question 7: Submitted by Devon Palmer
Can you explain why the practice of sharing case studies was helpful to all of you when treating patients during the height of the pandemic?
Kelly Caldwell
One of the major issues we faced as a profession during the early months of the pandemic was dysphagia care - what was safe to do, what wasn't safe and why, how we could appropriately serve patients who hadn't been tested for COVID, how we could serve patients who had COVID symptoms or +VE, etc. It was a tumultuous time. We had to chat about dysphagia cases we might not have chatted about before, because we were attempting to navigate dysphagia with extremely limited access (or no access) to imaging during those early weeks. I recall having several conversations with colleagues about cases discussing what our options were when we were hearing that scopes could be dangerous and hospital resources for outpatient modified barium swallow studies were shut down. We navigated that territory because we talked about case studies. We got our FEES back. Hospitals re-evaluated priorities on triaging these outpatient scenarios.
Ashley Michaelis
This is such a great question to highlight the importance of why our varied experiences and case studies need to be shared, so thank you for this question! This may be a long response, so I'll try to break it up a little.
During the pandemic, every single medical provider was learning as we went. The information that we had on "best practice" was changing day-to-day and even hour-to-hour. Some of the treatments we were using became outdated or even contraindicated as the information evolved and more research became available. Without the ability to share case studies, this information would have been disseminated so much slower and implementation science within the field of SLP is already very slow!
Kelly Caldwell
I also recall working one of my Saturdays in acute care, and the caseload was loaded with all COVID patients. Having been part of case study discussions with colleagues prior to going in that Saturday made me more confident about my next steps and the basic process of going into airborne-precaution rooms. Because a colleague walked me through experience and I heard stories about what these COVID patients were experiencing, I was more prepared to do my job that day.
Ashley Michaelis
The other piece of this question is that it wasn't just about navigating evaluation and treatment of individuals with COVID-19. It then also became about navigating treatment of long-COVID and the impacts of isolation from the pandemic. There were so many trickle down effects: individuals isolated in care facilities post stroke or brain injury where they couldn't have visitors and some of them couldn't understand WHY they couldn't have visitors and so they thought their families didn't care and they'd become depressed and their recovery would suffer or the burnout and compassion fatigue of the healthcare providers themself.
Because of how isolated, burned out, and under pressure the healthcare providers were during this time, sharing information via case studies to help achieve some sort of movement of the needle toward something positive was crucial.
One specific example: During the early days of "long-COVID" treatment, we were providing traditional rehabilitation services before we knew anything about how intensive treatment can actually be harmful and prolong recovery due to the post-exertional symptom exacerbation (PESE). Once information about PESE and long-COVID started to come out, we had to shift our treatment approaches to have better outcomes for the patients receiving treatment.
Question 8: Submitted by Jennifer Fatemi, ASHA Moderator
Do you think people are more willing to discuss research than they are about their own case studies or personal experiences? If so, why?
Ashley Michaelis
I think people are definitely more willing to discuss research than their own case studies or personal experiences. I believe there are a number of reasons for this. One piece is that when sharing your own case study or personal experience, it puts you in a more vulnerable position than when sharing someone else's research. You are more likely to receive criticism of a case study or personal experience from the individuals you are sharing it with, and although this can be constructive, sometimes it is not perceived or presented that way.
When I went through grad school and entered the field, there also seemed to be a culture of leaning toward the research point of the EBP triangle and giving it more weight than the other pieces of EBP. This culture, although toxic, seems to persist to some degree regardless of the fact that EBP is not just about research.
Kelly Caldwell
Discussing research seems significantly less personal than discussing a case study. When we discuss a research publication, the authors of those studies are not necessarily present to offer explanation or a defense. Case studies are, in their own way, a type of research (go with me on this one!). It's opening up the possibility that a part of your research design (eval/test choice, goals, treatment choices) could be criticized by colleagues. And, you're the "primary author," when you're discussing a case study.
Casey Quinn-Daly
I was also coming here to mention vulnerability as what may hold someone back from sharing personal cases studies and likely being more willing to discuss research. I think an important take away is that we do learn through failing or making mistakes (although it is a hard pill to swallow sometimes).
Question 9: Submitted by Jessica G.
Do you share your learnings from your mistakes? What are some examples of learnings you have shared through your own?
Tiffani Wallace
I have always shared mistakes I have made or ways I have changed my practices. I share it online, when I’m teaching a CE course or with students. It’s important, especially for newer clinicians to know that nobody is perfect and that we all have made mistakes, but that the important thing is that we learn and grow from those mistakes.
Ashley Michaelis
Early in my career, I probably did not share my mistakes as often, if at all, because I felt so much pressure to be "the perfect clinician" and "know everything." Today I will be the first one to admit that I have made a mistake in the way I practice. In fact, I called a patient this past week to let them know I made a mistake with their plan of care and that I wanted to apologize and explain how we could work to remedy. They were so open to it and thankful that I caught my mistake. I love to talk to my graduate student clinicians about mistakes that I've made and what I've learned as a result. I want them to know that they can make mistakes as a clinician and still be a great clinician with a great career! It's all about learning and growing.
Casey Quinn-Daly
Yes, I most definitely have shared my mistakes with colleagues and newer clinicians and what I have learned from those moments. One of my favorite quotes is" The most dangerous phrase in our language is "we've always done it this way." -Admiral Grace Hopper
Kelly Caldwell
I have taught a few continuing ed seminars or webinars in the last couple of years where I specifically included anonymous surveys of practices that we "used to do" or things we might still use. The days of the clinician who knows everything were never really here. As a person who has completed two master's degrees (and a LOT of school), and a former teacher, I understand the student mentality of "I NEED TO GET THIS ANSWER RIGHT!" We don't like seeing those red marks on our papers, we don't like seeing grades that show that we made mistakes! In clinical practice, the right answer may be elusive. A diagnosis may be missing that changes your whole perception of that patient's symptoms. I would offer to those who are afraid to share what they learned, you don't have to do this publicly. Keep a journal, and start writing "I used to do XYZ (thickening liquids without imaging for dysphagia, as one example)." Then, write a quick summary of why you don't do that anymore, and what you can do instead to grow your practice. In that scenario, you might write "Now that I know that imaging is required to evaluate and treat pharyngeal phase dysphagia, I do XYZ (imaging) instead of trial diets." Even if you don't do a formal journal or written document, just keeping track of those "victories" in your mind will help you grow as a clinician. And, while you have grown, there aren't red marks on papers, there aren't grades. Real people who are dynamic and have needs that may not fit squarely into the box.
Question 10: Submitted by Dean Reza
I may have missed this being discussed previously but in your opinion what are some good go to resources for detailed case studies that avoids the more anecdotal reports?
Ashley Michaelis
I'm curious as to the rationale behind wanting to avoid anecdotal reports. EBP is not just about research and the research evidence portion of the EBP triangle (or square depending on what model you are using) is not meant to be weighted more than the other parts EBP, including clinical expertise (which in our field is often anecdotal). I'm definitely not advocating for excluding the research evidence portion either. They are equally as important! One thing I like to consider in regards to thinking about EBP and research evidence is that the field of speech-language pathology is relatively new in the grand scheme of things. This means that the research is fairly new, not comprehensive, and often evolving and changing. If we put on blinders and only take into account research evidence, that means that we are really missing out on helping our field learn, grow, and develop. Anecdotal case studies can be the basis for moving the needle forward.
Kelly Caldwell
I enjoy reading case studies in the New England Journal of Medicine. They also frequently post on social media so you can find cases that more directly relate to the field of Speech-Language Pathology. While I'm not sure that this gets away from "anecdotal," these reports have a higher degree of scrutiny and reference the supporting literature. Anecdotal reports collectively help us add to our clinical knowledge. I do believe they have a role with careful attention to all of the aspects of evidence-based practice or evidence-informed practice. This is an example of a case study that some might call anecdotal, but is valuable in adding to our collective knowledge. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMcpc0910090
I enjoy online forums where every-day clinicians share their case studies as well, such as conference forums like Fall Voice, or the SIGs. Those anecdotal reports help me find what I need to help the patient in front of me. That means I am also frequently consulting the literature to help support any steps I take next in the evaluation, treatment, or discharge. If you think the case study needs a dedicated lens on research, don't be afraid to ask the original poster about any research they could share that would add to your understanding of the case study. We should all hold ourselves to the highest level evidence possible.
Question 11: Submitted by Jennifer Fatemi, ASHA Moderator
Can you think of a time where you didn't have strong evidence to support a clinical decision that you made and why you made that decision and how it turned out?
Ashley Michaelis
I find that this very often applies in the realm of voice treatment where we can live somewhat in the "grey area." Do we know a lot about the science of voice? Yes. Do we have a lot of evidence for the treatment techniques that we utilize often? Sometimes, other times not at all, but when we do vocal plasticity testing the patient demonstrates a very favorable response! In that case, I'm going to implement that technique. For example, when working with PVFM I often do plasticity testing using Buteyko breathing techniques and find that it is very successful for a lot of patients with this diagnosis (not everyone). There is very limited research evidence for implementing this technique. I also know that I'm not the only clinician that utilizes this technique with this population with success.
Kelly Caldwell
I have had a few difficult cases with head and neck cancer where surgical resection has been completed and we're looking for ways to rehabilitate a poorly deficient swallow. Perhaps even old HNC cases, old Chemo/radiation treatment, etc. plus newer medical comorbidities. There aren't going to be great matches in the literature for what these patients have experienced. Nor will there be randomized control trials, right? These are unique and I feel like it's hard to make a decision when there isn't strong evidence. I've had some cases turn out fairly well and some not. I've consulted with colleagues many times on those cases!
Question 12: Submitted by Jennifer Fatemi, ASHA Moderator
Which one is more important when it comes to advancing our clinical skills: research or clinical experience?
Ashley Michaelis
They are equally as important! If we rely only on one, we can really do ourselves and our patients a disservice.
Casey Quinn-Daly
Research and clinical skills are equally important, but also want to add patient wishes/preferences are also up there as well and equally important. Active listening and trauma informed care should be part of advancing our skill set.
Kelly Caldwell
A careful balance of patients values/beliefs/goals, clinical experience, and internal/external evidence are critically important, and they are equal in my mind as well. I think we may have certain clinical situations where we put a little more weight on one of those sides of the triangle than the other. What I find interesting is this "either-or" dichotomy of clinical experience or research. There have been a few studies on clinical experience and usual care in dysphagia - this one comes to mind especially because of the shocking results. One patient case, but over 90 different treatment recommendations!? Things have changed since the study was published in 2013 but it was eye opening for me when I read it for the first time. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00455-013-9467-8. We can balance research and experience, but we also need to add patient beliefs/values/goals.
Casey Quinn-Daly
Even if we had all the evidence to support a specific treatment as well as solid clinical experience, if it doesn't work for that patient (in the realm of wishes/preferences) then what's the point?
Question 13: Submitted by Jennifer Fatemi, ASHA Moderator
Why do you feel there is value to talk to clinicians with a wide variety of experience and number of years in the field and with a variety of settings?
Ashley Michaelis
Each clinician brings different sets of skills and background knowledge. I love to talk with new clinicians because they often have the most "up-to-date" clinical research. I love to talk with clinicians that have been in the field for a long time because they have so much clinical experience to build upon. You can learn so much from both perspectives!
As far as talking to clinicians from a variety of settings, you can gain a much better understanding of the continuum of care and where your patients came from and/or are going to after they see you. This can provide you with a better understanding of how to provide really informed, holistic patient-centered care. It also helps to network with others who can provide you with an even wider network of experience to build upon. If you ever want to switch settings, you have an already established network to talk with about shifting.
Kelly Caldwell
I want us to think about considering our colleagues as equals no matter their setting, number of years in the field, etc. If we approach each situation in terms of "I am strong in XYZ, what kinds of things are you strong in?" It starts from a place of building confidence and not tearing down. We can do this from the clinical fellowship year and with 30+ year clinicians. Clinicians of ANY number of years of experience who always ask, "WHY?" are the clinicians I enjoy talking with. We challenge the status quo. We push boundaries. And that can happen with 30+ year clinicians as well as new grads during their CFY. I want new clinicians to walk into any job they take knowing they have something positive they can bring to that situation - as well as the more "seasoned" clinician.
Jennifer Fatemi, ASHA Moderator
I am afraid we are out of time. Perhaps the panelists have something they would like to say in closing?
Casey Quinn-Daly
Thank you all for spending time with us tonight and asking some great questions!
Ashley Michaelis
Thank you to all the participants for the questions and engagement. I hope that I will get to learn from each of you in the future.
Kelly Caldwell
Don't be afraid to seek new knowledge. If productivity requirements are getting in the way, push those barriers down and add apps to your phone for journals you like to search! As soon as you start working on documentation, jump over to pubmed clinical queries or google scholar and grab something relevant. Those tiny moments of learning add up!
Thanks everyone for participating!!
Jennifer Fatemi, ASHA Moderator
Thank you all so much for your great questions and comments and thank you, panelists, for your time and great information! This chat will be available immediately after it has ended from this page.
Thank you again to sponsor, The Medical SLP Collective.
Goodnight, everyone!
