speech path or nursing? (1 Viewer)

[xxstef]

im interested in both
which one would give better job prospects (in terms of demand and promo prospects)?

actually, is there much demand for speech paths?

 

[savio23q]

I think nursing is in higher demand, but I don't think the pay is as good. (correct me if im wrong)
If you're aiming for 99.5, why be a nurse? You can be almost anything you want! Of course, if you want to be a nurse, by all means, go ahead but there's so many options available for you.

 

[mandathepanda]

Well, I'm hoping to do Speech Pathology in 2009.
When I went to the Sydney uni open day in August they told us that there is currently quite a high demand for Speech Pathologists in Australia.

From what I can see from looking at the course structure of Speech path; there are quite a few linguistics/ language subjects, something you wouldn't study for nursing. For example both Sydney and Newcastle uni recommend you study English Advanced in Year 11 and 12 for Speech Pathology. During the presentation at Sydney uni open day , the presenter said that for Speech pathology you should have an interest in English and how language works. Then again, you also have to study science based subjects for Speech Pathology during the first two or three years of the degree- as the presenter put it at the open day, Speech paths deal with anatomy from the neck up (whereas as with nursing you'd be be studying the whole body ,aswell as how to administer medications etc)

I don't think I can comment in detail on Nursing as I haven't looked at Nursing degree course structures a lot. I think though form what I've gathered from family members studying nursing that you'd be doing more science related subjects than in Speech Pathology.

Have you looked at other allied health professions such as Occupational Therapy, Radiography and Physiotherapy? If you're looking for a health related career you might want to consider these as well . Also, if you want to do Nursing don't let a high UAI deter you from it- we need more Nurses!

 

[fernando]

yeah there is a high demeand for speech pathologists. i would have done it if it wasn't at such a weird area, but i think they're now moving that campus to the main one right?

speech path pays ALOT more than nurses, obviously because it's specialised.

 

[xxstef]

hmm, regarding the campus moving, anyone know when thats going to happen?

yeah, ive also looked at OT, but i think im more interested in speech path coz i have a major love for language of all types

and thanks for clearing the 'demand' stuff up. i just thought, because its so specialised, it'd be harder to find a job..

 

[mandathepanda]

hmm, regarding the campus moving, anyone know when thats going to happen?

yeah, ive also looked at OT, but i think im more interested in speech path coz i have a major love for language of all types

and thanks for clearing the 'demand' stuff up. i just thought, because its so specialised, it'd be harder to find a job..

yeah I'm also more interested in speech path because of my obsession with languages ! but if I don't get the mark required for Speech,hopefully I get OT!
As for the health sciences campus moving, they told us at sydney uni open day that this most likely won't affect us -in other words it probably won't be happening in the next 5 years

 

[DownInFlames]

Hey, I'm just finishing my first year of speech path, and basically the below is spot on.

Well, I'm hoping to do Speech Pathology in 2009.
When I went to the Sydney uni open day in August they told us that there is currently quite a high demand for Speech Pathologists in Australia.

From what I can see from looking at the course structure of Speech path; there are quite a few linguistics/ language subjects, something you wouldn't study for nursing. For example both Sydney and Newcastle uni recommend you study English Advanced in Year 11 and 12 for Speech Pathology. During the presentation at Sydney uni open day , the presenter said that for Speech pathology you should have an interest in English and how language works. Then again, you also have to study science based subjects for Speech Pathology during the first two or three years of the degree- as the presenter put it at the open day, Speech paths deal with anatomy from the neck up (whereas as with nursing you'd be be studying the whole body ,aswell as how to administer medications etc)

I don't think I can comment in detail on Nursing as I haven't looked at Nursing degree course structures a lot. I think though form what I've gathered from family members studying nursing that you'd be doing more science related subjects than in Speech Pathology.

There are a lot of different areas you can work in, you can do private practise, work in a hopsital, work in a community health centre etc, you can travel to basically any english speaking country to work, but the demand is also high in australia.

The demand for nursing is much higher, and if that's what you want to go for, then I don't think it really matters if your uai is 70 or 99, I gather that nursing is not the easiest job in the world and it calls for a lot of repect.

If you toss up what's important to you, that might help your decision.

Helping people: Nursing. Although I reckon both roles can be pretty important, obvs the need for nurses is very high when compared to speech path.

Money: Speech path.

Flexible/reasonable hours: Speech Path.

General Working Conditions: Speech path.

So if lifestyles factors are the go, Speech Path. Otherwise, whatever you want to do. And remember that you can change degrees if you want, so if you start with one and don't like it or change your mind, you can pick a completely different career.



I don't know exactly what else is in nursing,

but some roles you might be in as a speech pathologist are:

- teaching a child with speech/ language difficulties to develop to a normal level, before they start kindergarten, so that their education is not disadvantaged from day 1.
- training a severely autistic child how to use an alternative communication system, so that they can function in a classroom/ social situation to some degree
- helping someone who has had a stroke that affected their language skills to learn to communicate again.
- working with a premature infant who is unable to breastfeed.
- Teaching a carer (of someone heavily incapacitated) strategies to make swallowing food safer for that person so they don't choke or aspirate food into their lungs.

 

[Wooz]

hmm, regarding the campus moving, anyone know when thats going to happen?

yeah, ive also looked at OT, but i think im more interested in speech path coz i have a major love for language of all types

and thanks for clearing the 'demand' stuff up. i just thought, because its so specialised, it'd be harder to find a job..

Campus moving? Speech pathology is at Cumberland campus, and as far as I'm aware thereare no plans to move any of those health sciences. I don't think they can move the audio labs and speech research labs on to the Camperdown/Darlington campus there's just no room and it detracts from Cumbo which has most of the health sciences.

 

[christine~*]

As a speech path, you will work on 5 major fields. That is, speech, language, fluency, swallowing, voice.

A speech path works in different settings which included community health centre, hosiptal (including neuro ward, out-patient clinic, rehab etc....) , some NGO organisation.

I would say, if you really want to do speech, you have to love linguistic because speech deal with a lot of clients with language difficulties. Eg, a patient with stroke, they may not be able to speak fluency; a 4-year-old kid who can only said "gagagaga..."

Also, you have to love neuro!!!!!! Imagine in a acute setting, you have to do assessment with the client to see which nerves are dysfunction.

Lastly, it's true that speech is on high demand. (but... i guess.. nurse is on high demand too..!)

 

[nqr]

I'm a speech pathologist, so I thought I'd add my $0.02 to this thread.

Speech paths deal with anatomy from the neck up (whereas as with nursing you'd be be studying the whole body ,aswell as how to administer medications etc)

You still study general anatomy in a speech path degree (e.g. learning about the spine, even the legs!), before later specialising in the head/neck area. A nursing student would cover the other parts of the body in greater depth though when they move into their nursing-specialty subjects.

yeah there is a high demeand for speech pathologists. i would have done it if it wasn't at such a weird area, but i think they're now moving that campus to the main one right?

speech path pays ALOT more than nurses, obviously because it's specialised.

On the contrary, they're probably fairly equivalent pay scales in the public system. Nursing has more opportunity for career advancement/promotion because it's a much larger profession. There is only one highest position (Chief) for a speech pathologist in each major hospital, but there would be several high positions available in nursing per hospital, I imagine.

Flexible/reasonable hours: Speech Path.

General Working Conditions: Speech path.

Yes, speech path is better for those, but nursing would be better for variety if that's what you're looking for (i.e. different areas of speciality, different rotations if you like to move about).

I would say, if you really want to do speech, you have to love linguistic because speech deal with a lot of clients with language difficulties.

Not necessarily. If you work as a speech path in an acute hospital, the bulk (if not all) of your work will be doing swallowing assessments, with perhaps only an occasional cursory language screening (with no actual speech/language therapy provided until they're moved off to rehabilitation).

Also, you have to love neuro!!!!!! Imagine in a acute setting, you have to do assessment with the client to see which nerves are dysfunction.

Again, not necessarily the case - if you work solely with children, you may never need neuro again after completing your degree.

 

[xxstef]

yeah i think im now considering speech path over nursing.

just one question though, how much do you have to 'love' english to be suitable to do this course? coz i dont really have a passion for english. i love learning languages and the theory behind that kind of stuff though... would that be suitable enough?
is there much study of the english language in the course?

 

[nqr]

yeah i think im now considering speech path over nursing.

just one question though, how much do you have to 'love' english to be suitable to do this course? coz i dont really have a passion for english. i love learning languages and the theory behind that kind of stuff though... would that be suitable enough?
is there much study of the english language in the course?

I'm someone who was interested in the structure of the English language and other languages. I liked English at school, but never read novels in my spare time. In my speech path degree, there were 2 first year subjects on the English language. One dealt with syntax (the elements of sentences - e.g. nouns, verbs, adjectives, prepositions, determiners, and different types of phrases) and grammar (e.g. plural, past tense, perfect tense, third person markers). The other dealt with phonetics - the study of how speech sounds are produced in the mouth, transcribing normal and abnormal speech into phonetic symbols (as used in many dictionaries).

You also study language development, language disorders, which parts of the brain are responsible for comprehending and producing language, and what happens when they are damaged. It's different to just studing 'English' in that sense. An interest in language (how it is structured) is more important than whether you love analysing texts or writing essays. Having good English skills though would obviously help.

 

[xxstef]

I'm someone who was interested in the structure of the English language and other languages. I liked English at school, but never read novels in my spare time. In my speech path degree, there were 2 first year subjects on the English language. One dealt with syntax (the elements of sentences - e.g. nouns, verbs, adjectives, prepositions, determiners, and different types of phrases) and grammar (e.g. plural, past tense, perfect tense, third person markers). The other dealt with phonetics - the study of how speech sounds are produced in the mouth, transcribing normal and abnormal speech into phonetic symbols (as used in many dictionaries).

You also study language development, language disorders, which parts of the brain are responsible for comprehending and producing language, and what happens when they are damaged. It's different to just studing 'English' in that sense. An interest in language (how it is structured) is more important than whether you love analysing texts or writing essays. Having good English skills though would obviously help.

thanks, thats exactly what i wanted to know. it sounds a lot more interesting than english at school!
speech path seems like its a definite on my to-do list now