Licensing is an important aspect of a career in speech pathology because it helps states ensure that practitioners have adequate skills to successfully assist their patients or clients. As a result, continuing education is a standard pursuit for speech pathology professionals for more than one reason. It not only helps speech-language pathologists meet licensing requirements in the area in which they practice so that they can continue working, but it also allows the development of expertise related to the pathologist's specific career goals and/or the types of unique issues he will tend to address in his practice.
Continuing education options in the speech pathology field are extremely flexible and diverse. Speech-language pathologists can essentially choose to focus on whichever topics they feel are most appropriate for their professional aspirations, as long as the subjects fall within the range of areas relevant to speech pathology. These include just about any subject related to diagnosing, preventing and treating communication disorders of a speech, fluency or cognitive nature.
In addition, the actual format of the continuation education pursued can range widely--from classes attended at an accredited college, to coursework completed at home or online, to participation in certain types of professional conferences, to teaching acceptable courses.
Speech-language pathologists generally must get their licenses renewed periodically after a specific, set time frame, such as every two years. To meet the associated requirements, they also often have to complete any applicable continuing education within a period of time that is also quite specific, such as within the two years that precede the point at which they apply to renew their license.
Continuing education in speech pathology benefits both professionals in the field and the people they assist. By progressively expanding their knowledge, pathologists ensure that they are always as competent as possible at their job, which then ensures that their patients or clients always receive the most proficient and suitable assistance.
Despite the latitude speech-language pathologists have for their continuing education, they should choose those options that are best-matched to their professional objectives to establish a career capable of remaining productive and satisfying.