Name: Carly McGuire
Hometown: Grand Blanc, MI
Graduation Date: May 2017
Company: Swartz Creek Community Schools, Swartz Creek, MI
Amount of time at internship: January - April 2016
How did you become interested in becoming a speech-language pathologist? I do not have an elaborate story that brought me to the realization that my calling was to be a speech-language pathologist. Rather, I took an elective class by chance and it changed my course completely and aimed me in the direction of communication sciences. I shadowed two speech-language pathologists in different settings, which solidified my path and fueled my passion. I kept interest in this career because of the ability to work with people across a variety of settings and ages. Also, knowing that I can help others and revel in their progress with them as we work together is such a motivator for me.
Tell us about your graduation school journey: After graduating with an undergraduate degree in psychology from MSU, I was thrilled to get accepted to my alma mater for graduate school. I had previously worked with Dr. Hunter and Dr. Dilley as a research assistant, so I knew what brilliant faculty would be here to help me grow into the best clinician possible. As I go through my first internship, I feel privileged to have such a competent and compassionate supervisor that pushes me to find my full potential, and then encourages me to go even further. Before entering my placement in a school setting, I envisioned myself working in a medical setting, though I am enjoying my time and perhaps reconsidering what I thought I wanted.
Describe the clinical setting and population you are working with at your current internship: Currently, I am placed in Swartz Creek Community Schools. I split my time between the middle school and the preschool. In the middle school, I work with 6th, 7th, and 8th graders that vary in eligibility. We use the pull-out method for some sessions that focus on articulation or attend to specific language goals. We also push-in to a cognitively impaired classroom where we work on articulation, language, and social goals in a group setting. Plus, my supervisor is the sole teacher of a specific reading class called Adolescent Accelerated Reading Initiative (AARI), where we help students that are severely impacted by reading deficits. At the preschool, we push-in to a classroom geared toward children who are developmentally delayed. Also, we pull students out of regular preschool classrooms to work on specific articulation or language goals. I feel lucky to have such a well-rounded experience for my first internship and it makes me excited to keep moving forward in the program.
How has your internship helped prepare you for your career? Though I am still relatively early into the program, I have learned and experienced a great deal that I am sure will strengthen me as a clinician. I am learning that flexibility is key because plans are bound to change, whether there is a snow day, illness, or an assembly; a backup plan is a necessity. Also, this internship is giving me a wealth of knowledge on different assessments, therapy techniques, and overall professionalism in the workplace. Every day I am absorbing new ways to incorporate evidence-based practice into how I perform therapy. This all comes together to help prepare me for a future in speech-language pathology and I am eager to continue to grow and gain confidence as a clinician.