Allie Kowal

CSDS 691
Philosophy Statement

As a future speech-language pathologist, I aspire to empower my patients to

become effective and confident communicators and enable them to actively participate
in their daily lives. My goal as a professional is to establish and/or restore functional
communication while simultaneously creating meaningful relationships. I see the value
of understanding the big picture with my patients, and I hope to make a positive impact
that will promote carryover of learned skills into their everyday lives. Incorporating
theory, evidence-based practice, and continuous education into my clinical practice will
allow me to accomplish these goals.
Theory is important to incorporate into clinical practice as it serves as
foundational support for assessment and treatment decisions. Many speech-language
pathologists find success using a combination approach by blending several theories
together. Other clinicians may primarily depend on one or two theories alone. I believe
that I will use more of an eclectic approach throughout my clinical practice. For
example, I will turn to several key theories of language development including Skinners
behavioral theory, Chomskys nativist theory, Piagets cognitive theory, and Vygotskys
social interactionalism theory in order to best serve my clients and their individual
needs. Theoretical approaches are an integral part of service delivery, and they can
significantly impact the progression of intervention. (Roseberry-McKibbin & Hedge,
2016).
I will use an evidence-based practice approach throughout my clinical practice in
order to preserve the quality and integrity of my services. This approach will include the
integration of clinical experience, external scientific evidence, and patient/caregiver
preference/perspective. Evidence-based clinicians would not use one parameter to
make clinical judgements, as they would use all three components to ensure best
practice in service delivery. For example, speech-language pathologists would not be
able to say that empirical evidence alone is sufficient evidence to justify treatment
decisions. Treatment decisions have to made based on high quality research, clinical
expertise, and family involvement. Parameters of evidence-based practice will help
guide my judgements in clinical practice in order to provide services that are supported
by empirical evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values and expectations (American
Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2017).
As I begin to enter into the field of speech-language pathology as a practicing
clinician, I am committed to planning my professional development efforts in order to
grow as a service provider. I will pursue continuing education opportunities in order to
keep up with the changes in the field and to increase my knowledge and skills. This
means that I will be an active learner in the field of speech-language pathology and will
continually reflect on my role as a service provider. In addition to continuing education, I
will also take advantage of collaborating with other professionals in the field as well as
communicate with professionals in neighboring fields. I will also acknowledge that
culture will constantly be changing, and what is culturally competent now may not be
acceptable in the years to come. Therefore, I will be prepared to adapt and adjust to my
patients individual needs regardless of their cultural-linguistic background (Riquelme,
2013).
I have grown as a student clinician over the past eight-teen months and believe
that I have the ability to be a confident and competent entry-level speech language
pathologist. I have the knowledge and skills to appreciate how theory, evidence-based
practice, and continuous education will profoundly impact the way I interact,
communicate, and provide services for my clients and family members. As I move
forward to begin my career as a speech-language pathologist, I look forward to teaching
functional communication skills that will enable my patients to participate and enjoy life
to its fullest.
References

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2017). Cultural Competence.

Available at the Practice Portal at http://www.asha.org/Practice-Portal/Speech-
Language-Pathologists/
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2017). Evidence-based practice
(EBP). Retrieved from http://www.asha.org/Research/EBP/
Riquelme, L.F. (2013). Cultural Competence for Everyone: A Shift in Perspectives. SIG
15 Perspectives on Gerontology, May 2013, Vol. 18, 42-49.
Roseberry-McKibbin, C., & Hegde, M. N. (2016). An advanced review of speech-
language pathology: Preparation for the praxis and comprehensive examination.