Speech-Language Pathology + family life = ?

Question

I'm a young lady about to enter my senior year of high school, and I'm narrowing down my decisions on my career path. I love language, but I also have an affinity for the medical field and helping people. I am trying to combine the two interests, and I have come upon Speech-Language Pathology.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos099.htm

What I want out of my future: I don't wish to pursue a fierce career path. I want to be a mommy some day with my husband as the main "bread-winner". However, I wish to live a pretty comfortable lifestyle with a stable job for the both of us.

Do you think SLP is a good career for a lady who wishes to live a traditional life with a family some day? Is it too much commitment?

Also, what are the pros and cons of being a Speech-Language Pathologist? Is it a stressful job? Would I make more money if I started my own practice with a partner, perhaps my husband?

Answer 1

Career planning is a deliberate process of knowing WHO we are so that we can be sure WHERE we want to go or WHAT we want to be at some defined point in the future. It involves an analysis of career/job options that are new to you. Career analysis is based on accurate, valid and timely information from --- reading, interviewing primary resources persons and direct observation of those persons while doing their job.

Peace and blessings!

Answer 2

The great thing about speech pathology is that you can go into several different specialties. Many SLPs may work in hospitals before they start their families and then switch over to schools once they have children so they can have the same hours as the kids and have summers off. The field requires lots of study during college and graduate school and continued study after that. You will probably not get rich as an SLP but you will be middle to upper middle class (around $40K-80k for the most part, but I have seen some salaries as high as $100k after decades of experience or in a supervisory position).

Starting your own private practice will likely take a few years. You will still be being supervised in your first year and you have to know a lot about laws, running a business, etc. to start an SLP practice.

Hope this helps :)

Answer 3

Well, I completly agree with you about the mom thing. Thats definatley what I want to do to. i dont know anything about slp but ive been looking at different websites and stuff about healthcare jobs and heres basically what ive seen...
*dental hygiene- they make good money and most work a 4 day week. my hygienist only works 3 1/2 and they still make good money but it might be boring doing the same thing everyday
*nursing- they make good money too and i have a friend that works the weekend shift which is 2 12s saturday and sunday nights which i think would be good for a family because you would have all week, for me though i hate needles so i couldnt do that
*ultrasound techs make good money but i have no idea what the work schedule is like
Thats all I know but just remember you can always be a part time slp!

Answer 4

Lots of opportunities to work; if you graduate from a strong MA program, you should be able to find a job in any moderate-to-large sized metropolitan area. Looking at the job market right now and the demographics of the U.S. population, I'd say health care is a promising area. Given the real financial constraints faced in health care, I'd say being a nurse practitioner (BS in nursing, MS in nursing) will get you a job anywhere in the country with good hours and something approaching a six-figure income after a few years. In addition, you could go into administration and make even more.

Answer 5

My sister in law is a speech pathologist with a husband and two grown sons. She also did most of the cooking and other traditional household duties. It seems to have worked out well for her and her family.

Answer 6

it's better to be surgeon then, because you plan yourself when you want the surgery to occur.