Kimberly Edmonds, MS, CCC-SLP, a clinical educator who supervises first-year students in their clinical practicum in Salus University’s department of Speech-Language Pathology (SLP), has been named coordinator of the Post-baccalaureate program in Health Sciences, SLP concentration.
Beginning this fall, prospective SLP students will be able to get specific prerequisite courses through an SLP track in the Post-bacc program. What will set the program apart from others is prospective SLP students will now receive hands-on, patient-interaction experiences in the Post-bacc program, which will give them the best chance to get into a graduate program, either at Salus or someplace else.
Edmonds will be working with Darryl Horn, PhD, FAAO, associate professor in the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University and director of the Post-bacc program in Health Sciences. The new SLP Post-bacc track has courses that are content specific and will allow any student to meet not only the prerequisite courses required but also the clinical observation hours needed to apply to the SLP master’s program.
Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP, chair and director of the SLP department at Salus, said that her academic background and clinical experience made Edmonds the perfect fit for the new position.
“Kim’s professional and academic experiences give her the knowledge and skills that students attending the Post-baccalaureate program will benefit from immensely,” he said. “These advantages will hopefully lead to multiple opportunities for those who are awarded a certificate and move on to applying for graduate studies.”
Edmonds joined the Salus faculty as a part-time clinical educator in 2018 after nine years of clinical practice. In addition to maintaining those teaching duties, Edmonds will be working with Admissions to attract SLP track students into the Post-bacc program; making sure there are adjunct faculty to teach the SLP-specific courses; and coordinating the clinical observation hours that will be integrated into those courses to make sure the students are getting that clinical experience that’s also required by the graduate school.
“I knew I wanted to work in academia, so when I started as clinical educator here, it fulfilled that goal. But I’m not sure that I necessarily expected an opportunity in this particular role, but when it came up, I was really excited about it,” said Edmonds.
As part of her role as a clinical educator, Edmonds also supervises two preschool practicum programs: an inclusive three-year-old class at Immaculate Conception Preschool in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, and a pre-kindergarten enrichment program at a preschool based out of the Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel near the University’s main campus in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, both of which she will continue to do in addition to her new duties.
“That was one of the first questions that I asked Bob when I first spoke with him about the role because I love my preschool programs,” said Edmonds. “I think they also play an important role for our graduate students by providing that early childhood experience. And it also plays an important role in getting their clinical hours as well.”
Adding the role as SLP coordinator for the Post-bacc program makes Edmonds’ a full-time instructor at the University now. And it further advances her desire to continue her career in academia.
“I think it is really exciting to be part of something that’s a new program and will help us draw in students from different undergraduate backgrounds, too,” she said.
