Why is speech pathology so popular now?

Physical therapy vs speech pathology and more?

• okay so i got to questions for you guys, 1. what would you say are the pros and cons of both pt and speech therapy, this includes the enjoyment of the job, the outlook, the salary, the lifestyle, workplace, etc. every bit of information helps! 2. The second question is this. I know with physical therapy you can major in about any major, as long as you take the required classes and follow your bachelor degree with a dpt. Is this the same somewhat for speech therapy? Can you take whatever major you want for your bachelor's as long as you take the required courses, and then follow it with a masters or doctorate of speech therapy? Sorry if this question might be a simple one and I just don't know it. It's because its my second year of college and I'm still a bit confused of some career paths. The reason is that I wanted to major in business, then get my dpt or instead a masters in speech pathology. Thanks to everyone for any of you help! It is very much appreciated.:) 41 minutes ago - 4 days left to answer.

• Answer:

  You'll be far more marketable if you do either PT or SLP prior to getting an MBA-- a bachelor's in business won't take you very far in the rehab world. With an MBA, you'll be highly sought-after for major hospital positions, like director of rehabilitation services (or higher). For outside-contract rehab companies, you could end up being a regional manager or VP very quickly. As far as speech goes, you'll save a year if you get your bachelor's in communicative disorders (or speech and hearing science, depending on the school). If you get your bachelor's in a different field, you'll have to take a year of core communicative disorders classes prior to graduate school admission, anyway. Keep in mind that once you finish the speech pathology MA or MS (or even a doctorate), you'll have to do a post-graduate clinical fellowship year (CFY) prior to certification and licensure. Typically, you won't make more money with a doctorate if you work for someone other than yourself-- it's usually for working in academia or as a speech director in a major academic medical center. See asha.org for speech pathology and apta.org for PT.