I Chose Salus
Speech-Language Pathology
Hello! My name is Julia Szewczyk, originally from Northeast Philadelphia, and I’m currently a second-year student in the Speech-Language Pathology Class of 2025. From a young age, I knew I wanted to make a positive impact on people’s lives. When I discovered speech-language pathology, I was immediately drawn to its potential to assist individuals across a broad spectrum of needs and ages. The field’s diversity —serving everyone from children with developmental delays to adults recovering from strokes — combined with the variety of work settings, convinced me that this was my ideal path.
As I enter the second year of my graduate program and prepare for graduation in May, I am currently immersed in my first externship experience at Ivy Rehab for Kids. Ivy Rehab is a network of outpatient therapy clinics dedicated to providing pediatric therapy services for children ages 0-18. The clinic offers physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy, often coordinating care to ensure comprehensive treatment.
Here’s a glimpse into a typical Tuesday in my life:
6:30 a.m.: My alarm goes off, and I might hit snooze once before getting up around 6:45 a.m.
6:45 a.m.: I start my day by making my bed, brushing my teeth, and getting dressed in scrub pants and a t-shirt.
7:15 a.m.: I head downstairs to pack my lunch, put on my shoes, and gather my belongings.
7:25 a.m.: I leave for Ivy Rehab, which is about a 25-minute drive, depending on traffic. I aim to arrive before 8 a.m., as the first child’s session begins then.
7:50 a.m.: Upon arrival, I store my lunch in the fridge and set up my workstation. I log into the clinical portal to review the day’s schedule. If there are any cancellations, like today’s first two appointments, I use the extra time to prepare for upcoming sessions, jotting down goals and planning activities.
9:00 - 9:30 a.m.: The first scheduled session of the day, which lasts 30 minutes. Speech therapy sessions typically run for 30 minutes, except for feeding and language therapy sessions, which are an hour each (30 minutes for feeding and 30 minutes for language).
9:30 - 10:00 a.m.: Time reserved for prepping for the next sessions.
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: I treat three out of four kids, focusing on expressive and receptive language with children around 2-3 years old.
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.: Time for lunch and typing up session notes.
1:00 - 2:30 p.m.: I assist with three more kids, including a co-treatment session with an occupational therapist. I enjoy these co-treatments as they offer valuable learning opportunities, especially in addressing sensory and behavioral needs.
2:30 - 3:00 p.m.: I use this time to finish typing up notes.
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.: I work with two kids, including one focused on feeding. This session involves hands-on practice with vertical munching, tongue lateralization, and labial seal with food for a child who is g-tube fed but working on taking solids.
4:00 - 4:30 p.m.: My workday concludes, and I head home to prepare for my night class.
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.: Class time, specifically AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) on Tuesdays.
7:00 - 8:00 p.m.: Dinner and some time for classwork.
8:00 - 9:00 p.m.: I wind down for the night, often watching Netflix or finishing up any remaining class assignments. I aim to be in bed by 10 p.m.
