Howdy, hello Prospects! This week, we discuss our role when it comes to serving populations that are often underserved - military veterans and members of indigenous communities. Serving these populations can certainly be challenging and have their own unique circumstances, however, doing so can be very rewarding and often offer many benefits that would not be an option otherwise.

Working with these populations is something I did not hear about much when I was in school and always wanted to learn more about. There are a few different ways to find yourself in a position to work with these communities - you can work for the USPHS in the Indian Health Service (more on that below) or work with the VA on a government pay scale. Due to the structure of these organizations, insurance approval does not limit your treatment length or approach, compensation is typically higher than similar positions in the same area, and serving these populations can be very rewarding. Read on to learn more about our roles in working with these underserved populations.

Resource of the Week 🧰

In continuation of providing Praxis study guides, this weeks resource is a study guide for chapter three in the "Advanced Review” book used for exam preparation. This study guide reviews language development in children, including a review of developmental milestones and theories of language development.

Weekly Spotlight 💡

Our weekly spotlight will introduce readers to an SLP or an SLP graduate student, with the intention of giving you motivation to keep going, to try new experiences, and to broaden your knowledge about where and how we work. This week, we are highlighting Lauren, an SLP that loves seeing her military veteran patients succeed in reaching their functional goals. Thanks, Lauren!

Name: Lauren Sharpe-Payne

Number of years in the field: 8

Favorite job so far and why: My current job (outpatient SLP at a VA Medical center); I enjoy working with veterans, hearing their stories and providing them with quality care that is often not limited by the confines of traditional insurances. This allows me to be innovative and creative in terms of incorporation of functional tasks to promote success with goals.

What other fields did you consider before becoming an SLP?: I actually wanted to be a lawyer up until my senior year of high school (that is when I found out about SLP). I would have been a TERRIBLE lawyer lol.

Would you choose this field over again? Why or why not?: I would; I am passionate about what I do and seeing my patients meet their goals never gets old. To see someone be able to have a meaningful conversation with their spouse again or be able to eat their favorite snack without worry of aspiration is what makes it all worth it. I believe in all healthcare fields, burnout is real and needs to be addressed more readily by employers. It is difficult to be a good clinician when you feel like your cup is constantly emptying and you don't have time to refill. Please make sure you take care of YOU first and foremost - I'm telling you, it is impossible to pour from an empty cup!

Lauren in located in the Richmond, Virginia area and graduated with both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. You can find her on her YouTube channel, as well as on her Instagram account.

***If you would like to recommend an SLP to be featured in our Weekly Spotlight, feel free to reply to this newsletter edition or send them the link here***

Today’s Posting 💵

Our post this week will not only discuss a specific job, but also a specific uniformed service. The U.S. Public Health Services Commissioned Corps (USPHS) is a branch of service committed to advancing the nation’s public health, as well as protecting and promoting the health of others. USPHS members work within numerous government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Indian Health Service, and the National Institutes of Health. This branch employs individuals from various fields, including PTs, OTs, dietitians, engineers, healthcare administrators, nurses, of course SLPs, and more. Your field determines where you can work - most SLPs seem to work with the Indian Health Service, providing services to members of federally-recognized tribes on reservations or in surroundings areas. Officers within this service receive many of the same benefits as military veterans within the armed forces such as the Air Force or the Navy. See this page for more information about the benefits of joining this uniformed service.

If you would like to serve the American Indian or Native Alaskan populations, you can find some of the same positions through the Indian Health Service. The Indian Health Service has openings listed on their website for New Mexico and Arizona. Their position posted in Shiprock, New Mexico to work at Northern Navajo Medical Center has a pay scale listed of $72,553-$113,047 yearly, depending upon your pay scale/ grade. This position includes providing evaluation and treatment for individuals receiving services at this medical center. Just as the USPHS offers significant college loan repayment, the Indian Health Service does as well. The IHS will repay a clinicians health profession education loans - up to $50,000 in exchange for a two year service commitment. Read more about loan repayment here.

Fun Fact 📌📔

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employs over 450 speech-language pathologists throughout its healthcare system. In 2017, over 370,000 patient encounters were reported from SLPs across 158 sites sites of care. In 2022, SLPs served in 190 VA sites. Over 170 graduate trainees provided services along with SLPs across inpatient settings, outpatient clinics, homes, and community living centers, as well as via telehealth. Common medical conditions treated with this population include traumatic brain injury (TBI), head and neck cancers, respiratory compromise, such as patients needing tracheostomy or those that are ventilator dependent, neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s or ALS, or individuals with dementias. Click here if you would like to read a fact sheet about speech-language pathology and its role in the VA.

That’s a wrap for today!

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If you would like to be highlighted in the Weekly Spotlight as a graduate student, click this link to complete the form😄 We would love to hear from you! Talk soon,

— Meryl