What does a speech pathologist do?
The job of speech pathologists is to diagnose, treat, and prevent speech, social communication, language, swallowing, and cognitive-communication disorders in both children and adults. They are responsible for providing aural rehabilitation for people with hearing impairment and hearing loss, and alternative and augmentative systems for people with severe language comprehension disorders such as progressive neurological disorders and the autism spectrum. Speech pathologists may also work with individuals without language, swallowing, or speech disorders, but are eager to know how to communicate more effectively.
Speech pathologist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real speech pathologist resumes:
- Manage staff development activities including sensory integration and IEP goal writing.
- Provide speech and language therapy under the supervision and guidance of assign SLP supervisor.
- Administer and interpreting diagnostic evaluations on children with a variety of speech and language disorders in an out-patient facility.
- Develop specific treatment plans and family education plans for rehabilitation patients in anticipation of discharge home or to appropriate rehabilitation facilities.
- Participate as a member of the acute care and outpatient rehabilitation team in diagnostic and therapeutic services to neurologically impair adults.
- Develop policies and procedures to secure Medicare and Medicaid provider numbers.
- Evaluate and treat congenital and/or acquire swallowing, cognitive, language, speech, and receptive/expressive communication deficits within geriatric population.
- Participate in education for the team regarding SLP services, referrals, and appropriate diagnoses.
- Perform MBS for inpatients and outpatients and communicate results to physicians, nurses and families.
- Prepare require paperwork such as admission, review, and dismissal meetings, full individual evaluations, and Medicaid.
- Assess, design, and administer therapy for adults with left CVA's and develop verbal and written reporting skills.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of Medicare and other reimbursement regulations.
- Provide individual therapy to school-age children with autism spectrum disorders.
- Document therapy session details and generate billing sheets for Medicaid.
- Administer standardized assessments for dementia, cognitive-linguistic deficits, and dysarthria.
Speech pathologist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 18% of Speech Pathologists are proficient in Patients, Language, and Speech. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Compassion.
We break down the percentage of Speech Pathologists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 18%
Performed Communication/Alternative Augmentative/Environmental Control Assessments to patients.
- Language, 17%
Evaluated and treated congenital and/or acquired swallowing, cognitive, language, speech, and receptive/expressive communication deficits within geriatric population.
- Speech, 17%
Leveraged experience and expertise in speech pathology to design individualized educational plans for communication disorders in students on a self-paced curriculum.
- Patient Care, 8%
Supervised two speech therapy assistants and guided them though quality treatment, documentation, and productivity expectations for optimal patient care.
- Rehabilitation, 7%
Participated as a member of the acute care and outpatient rehabilitation team in diagnostic and therapeutic services to neurologically impaired adults.
- Home Health, 6%
Worked for two home health care agencies serving nursing homes and in home care in Palm Beach County, FL.
"patients," "language," and "speech" are among the most common skills that speech pathologists use at work. You can find even more speech pathologist responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for a speech pathologist to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "speech-language pathologists must select appropriate diagnostic tools and evaluate results to identify goals and develop a treatment plan." Additionally, a speech pathologist resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "supervised speech assistant, developed pertinent treatment protocols, analyzed and reported on patient progress. "
Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform speech pathologist duties is communication skills. Speech pathologists responsibilities require that "speech-language pathologists need to explain test results, diagnoses, and proposed treatments in a way that individuals and their families can understand." Speech pathologists also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "obtained numerous computerized communication devices for home health clients. "
Compassion. This is an important skill for speech pathologists to perform their duties. For an example of how speech pathologist responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "speech-language pathologists may work with people who are frustrated by their communication difficulties." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a speech pathologist: "represented organization in community, to parents, with compassion and empathy. ".
Detail oriented. A big part of what speech pathologists do relies on "detail oriented." You can see how essential it is to speech pathologist responsibilities because "speech-language pathologists must comprehensive notes on clients' progress to ensure that they continue receiving proper treatment." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical speech pathologist tasks: "completed detailed evaluations and treatment plans for children and adolescents with various speech and language disorders in the home health setting. "
Listening skills. Another common skill required for speech pathologist responsibilities is "listening skills." This skill comes up in the duties of speech pathologists all the time, as "speech-language pathologists must pay attention to hear the clients' communication difficulties and determine a course of action." An excerpt from a real speech pathologist resume shows how this skill is central to what a speech pathologist does: "performed mbs for inpatients and outpatients and communicated results to physicians, nurses and families. "
The three companies that hire the most speech pathologists are:
- PEDIATRIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER283 speech pathologists jobs
- Encompass Health220 speech pathologists jobs
- Amedisys64 speech pathologists jobs
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Compare different speech pathologists
Speech pathologist vs. Graduate student clinician
Graduate student clinicians can be a nurse practitioner, pharmacist, or doctor whose primary job is to work with patients and assist patients in managing their medical condition or illness. They perform varied duties and responsibilities that include maintaining a good relationship with patients, discussing the treatment progress to patients, and documenting patients' medical history. Additionally, they are also responsible for assisting physicians on non-surgical procedures, updating the medical information of patients on charts, and giving diagnostic tests.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between speech pathologists and graduate student clinician. For instance, speech pathologist responsibilities require skills such as "speech," "patient care," "rehabilitation," and "home health." Whereas a graduate student clinician is skilled in "motor speech disorders," "dysphagia," "group therapy sessions," and "hearing screenings." This is part of what separates the two careers.
On average, graduate student clinicians reach lower levels of education than speech pathologists. Graduate student clinicians are 24.1% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Speech pathologist vs. Student clinician
A Student Clinician is a healthcare practitioner who works as caregiver of a patient in a hospital or clinic. They integrate knowledge obtained in courses into the clinical practicum assignments.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that speech pathologist responsibilities requires skills like "speech," "patient care," "rehabilitation," and "home health." But a student clinician might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "group therapy sessions," "hearing screenings," "individual therapy sessions," and "speech-language therapy."
In general, student clinicians achieve lower levels of education than speech pathologists. They're 27.8% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for speech pathologists in the next 3-5 years?
Monica Sampson Ph.D.
Director of Health Care Services in Speech-Language Pathology, ASHA
- Telehealth platforms to enable access to patients who otherwise have limited access to timely and reliable SLP services
- Electronic documentation systems, especially ones that seamlessly integrate across providers in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health, and outpatient clinics. This minimizes gaps in communication among clinicians with easy transfer of records.
- Assistive technology to enhance to either provide or augment access to communication for children and adults who cannot communicate or have difficulty communicating verbally, including SGDs.
- Apps and digital material as assessment and treatment tools: With an increased focus on digital access to SLP services, the profession has a critical need for digital material for assessment and treatment of communication, cognition, and swallowing impairments across the lifespan.
- Use of artificial intelligence to bolster learning and enhance creativity in pedagogy.
The lack of access to technology by underrepresented populations will continue to be a pressing need post-COVID-19.
Speech pathologist vs. Speech correction consultant
A licensed optometrist is primarily responsible for the vision and eye care of clients, treating different conditions such as astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness. Their duties mostly revolve around performing eye and vision tests, diagnosing issues, providing consultations, prescribing corrective glasses and lenses, and educating clients on proper eye care methods. Furthermore, an optometrist must maintain records of all cases and treatment plans, and supervise support staff should they choose to work at a private clinic or a similar setting.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, speech pathologists are more likely to have skills like "patients," "language," "speech," and "patient care." But a speech correction consultant is more likely to have skills like "public speaking," "professional knowledge," "data collection," and "academic schedule."
Most speech correction consultants achieve a lower degree level compared to speech pathologists. For example, they're 18.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Speech pathologist vs. Optometrist
Types of speech pathologist
Updated January 8, 2025
