Speech-Language Pathology Fellowship

A woman in a red shirt sits at a desk smiling while another woman stands next to her, adjusting a microphone. Papers and bulletin boards are visible in the background.

About the Speech-Language Pathology Fellowship program

The Speech-Language Pathology Fellowship Program at Shepherd Center offers a positive environment to learn at a top-ranked, specialized neurorehabilitation hospital while facilitating opportunities to collaborate with other healthcare professionals and provide direct care to a diverse patient population.

This 13-month fellowship will guide you through all stages of patient care, from evaluation to long-term rehabilitation. With mentorship from experienced clinicians, you’ll develop independence in key areas such as diagnostics, treatment planning, caseload and time management, and critical thinking in cognition, communication, dysphagia, and voice.

Program goals

Throughout your fellowship year, you’ll work across various settings — acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury, and both acute and post-acute care — focusing on adolescents and adults facing conditions like stroke, cognitive-linguistic challenges, and disorders of consciousness. You’ll also have the chance to work closely with allied health and rehabilitation specialists, creating a well-rounded clinical experience.

By the end of your fellowship, you will be prepared to:

  • Conduct diagnostic assessments to create patient-centered care plans.
  • Distinguish and address motor speech, cognitive-communication, language, voice, and dysphagia disorders.
  • Design creative therapeutic plans tailored to each patient’s needs in both home and community settings.
  • Communicate effectively within an interdisciplinary healthcare team.
  • Embody ethical, professional, and responsible conduct in all aspects of care.
  • Launch your career with confidence in medical speech-language pathology.

Speech-language pathology fellowship application requirements

We offer one unique clinical fellowship slot for applicants who desire to advance their skills required for serving the catastrophically injured population, with emphasis on brain or spinal cord injury. Application period begins in the month of February each year.

SLP Fellowship Application

Be part of an inclusive, connected culture that encourages both professional growth and personal enrichment

As a fellow, you are a vital member of Shepherd’s interdisciplinary healthcare team, part of a culture fueled by progress, innovation, and human connection. Your responsibilities will range from providing direct patient care to the recruitment of incoming clinical fellows.

Training Experience at Shepherd
A speech therapist in a blue shirt and purple gloves is interacting with a young person in a wheelchair. They are holding a lollipop near the person's mouth. A large blue exercise ball is in the background.
A woman with gray hair and a blue shirt is sitting at a table, writing on paper with a pencil. A blonde woman in a gray shirt leans over, smiling as they work together. Colorful exercise balls are in the background.
A medical professional assists a patient in a radiology room. The patient is seated next to a large imaging machine, while the professional operates a computer displaying the patient's scans. Both are wearing protective gear.
From taste stimulation to enhance responses in patients with disorders of consciousness, to writing therapy for cognition and memory, and detailed explanations of barium swallow study results, our speech-language pathologists support each patient’s unique journey to recovery.

I love how Shepherd Center takes a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach and truly involves the patient and their families in their plan of care.

Helen L. Speech-Language Pathology Fellow

Meet our current fellow

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