MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital Speech Language Pathology Program

The Speech Language Pathology Service at the MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital offers a comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient services for persons with communication or swallowing impairments resulting from stroke, brain injury, and other neurological conditions. Evaluation and treatments services are available for individuals from preschool age through geriatrics. All services provided assist patients in adapting to their disabilities and reaching the highest quality of life possible.

Programs include: on-site barium swallowing studies, computer-based treatment activities, group treatment for specific communication and cognitive problems, community outings, and augmentative communication evaluations. The staff may also be involved in research studies.

With more than 20 Speech Language Pathologists on staff, we are among the largest hospital-based speech language pathology services in the D.C. metropolitan area, allowing us to provide excellent student supervision and mentorship opportunities. The Speech Language Pathology Service at MedStar NRH offers students two options for training:

1. Two-hour observations of licensed Speech Language Pathologists providing evaluation and/or treatment of individuals or group participants with communication or swallowing impairments.
2. Completion of a supervised externship with a certified on-site clinical supervisor. Students must be currently enrolled in a Master's degree program, have maintained a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average, have completed at least one adult neurogenics course, and have a strong interest in the area of adult neurogenics. Students engage in patient evaluations (test administration and documentation), treatment (12-20 hours/week), patient team conferences, family conferences, presentation of a patient or topic lecture to the SLP Service, and other tasks as assigned/appropriate. We require students to commit to 5 half days or 3 full days (approximately 20-25 hours) per week. The externship typically runs 10-14 weeks. Students must complete an externship application. Should this applicant be considered for placement, an interview will be scheduled. Selections are made only after an interview is conducted.