Name: Aryana Downs School: University of Florida Program: Speech-Language Pathology Year: First Year Clinical Interests: At the moment I am really enjoying my current placement at the former Shands Hospital, now known as UF Health. I get to see a variety of interesting inpatients and outpatients, pediatrics and adults, swallowing, and speech/language. Last semester I was at the schools and I really enjoyed doing that as well, although I got to see some of the struggles that our school based SLP’s have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. Basically, what I am saying is I haven’t encountered a clinical setting that I did NOT enjoy, and I still have no idea where I want to end up working. One thing is certain though; I know that this is the field for me! What do you enjoy most about UF’s program? I like that we get placed in a practicum for the first semester. I think most people learn best when placed in a situation where they do not feel wholly comfortable. Getting out of your comfort zone and really being in a sink or swim situation can prepare you more than sitting in a classroom ever will. That being said, most supervisors are extremely helpful and they know you are in your first semester, and usually do all they can to help you feel prepared and at ease. What clinical experiences does UF have to offer? We offer pediatric outpatient, schools, medical, dysphagia, movement disorders, craniofacial, voice disorders, and skilled nursing to name a few. UF has a wide variety of clinical experiences to offer a student clinician. How prepared did you feel going into grad school? I felt pretty prepared, but it was still pretty daunting. Luckily UF’s program offers a 3-day “Bootcamp” that Dr. Troche held where we went through and reviewed a lot of major concepts and material. That allowed us to ease into our courses and also gave us 3 days to bond with the other people in the program. The best piece of advice I can give you is to know your undergrad material, especially the neurology and the anatomy. The professors expect you to know this stuff, and since school is no longer about just getting a grade, you should really know this stuff for practical purposes anyways. How do you feel your grades, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, resume, etc. affected you during the application process? My grades were pretty good, nothing lower than a B+ and my GRE was about the minimum requirement that you needed to get into a program. I strongly believe that my letters of recommendation and resume were the strongest. Three faculty members in the program wrote my letters and I got them by sitting right in front of my professors and answering their questions. I also made a point to talk to them after class had ended. I wouldn’t go as far as to say you should suck up to them, but just talk to them, they cannot get an idea of who you are as a person and not someone on a roll sheet unless you have a chance to show them. As cliché as it sounds, making sure your professors know your name and your face goes a long way in securing a spot if you have the academics to show them that you can pass graduate level courses. In addition to that, having experience with patients in a clinical setting prior to grad school shows them that you will not embarrass the University program in a practicum setting. Just make sure your grades are solid, your GRE score acceptable, get to know the faculty, and have a somewhat strong clinical background and you should be guaranteed a spot in a graduate program at a University. What do you wear to class and clinic? To class I wear whatever I would wear to undergrad class. Some days I look nicer than others. Some days I show up in athletic shorts, a tee shirt, and my hair on top of my head. To clinic, it usually depends on where you are placed. For example, at Magnolia Park you will be on the floor with children, so scrub pants, a tee shirt and tennis shoes are acceptable. At the hospital and other clinics though, dress pants, a nice shirt, a cardigan (it can get cold!), and close toed flats are a staple. At the schools, you can get a little more casual but all in all it really depends on the place, and your supervisor. Some simple rules to follow though, nothing revealing, never heels, avoid flashy jewelry, look professional, clean, and well put together and you should be fine. Have an open communication line with your supervisor, and if ever in doubt, just ask the dress code. Most supervisors will not mind you asking. And if all else fails, just try and follow their lead. Dress similarly to them and you should be fine. Any last tips or comments? Don’t worry. It will all work out and grad school is not as scary as you think. Stay on top of your readings and really learn the material, because most of it comes in handy at clinic. Study together, these girls (and guys) are your tools, you can learn from each others strengths and become better clinicians that way. And expect to spend a long day at clinic for only a few hours of actual clock hours. Good luck! Thank you, Ary! If you have any suggestions for the next Grad School Spotlight, please email me at [email protected]!
2 Comments
Grandma!!
2/4/2014 04:09:11 am
Ary has been awesome through out her life ! Her love of reading has no doubt been a strong part of her success ! Wherever she settles in for her career it won't take long for them to learn how lucky they are to have her! An awesome work ethic and smarts to boot can be hard to find in one person - but not our Ary !
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8/1/2022 09:35:35 pm
Instagram düşmeyen takipçi satın almak güvenilir adresler üzerinde tercih edildiği takdirde istenilen sonucu oluşturuyor. Sizlerde istediğiniz sonuçlara hızlı bir şekilde adresimiz ile ulaşım sağlayabilirsiniz.
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February 2018
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