A survey of head and neck cancer curriculum in United States speech language pathology masters programs

J Cancer Educ. 2010 Dec;25(4):556-9. doi: 10.1007/s13187-010-0106-x.

Abstract

We surveyed speech language pathology (SLP) programs for head and neck cancer (HNC) training. Program directors of 242 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association accredited masters programs for SLP were contacted regarding curricular HNC material. Directors (n = 120) responded online: six included a required course in HNC, and all but two programs with no required HNC course included HNC topics in other required courses. Thirty-two programs were affiliated with a medical center and/or a teaching hospital. Programs that offered either a required course in HNC or elective courses on HNC were more likely to be affiliated with a medical center and/or a teaching hospital than programs that did not offer a required course in HNC (P = 0.043) or elective courses on HNC (P = 0.007), respectively. Few programs offer a required HNC course but most programs integrate HNC content into the required coursework. Potential strategies to incorporate HNC exposure into formal SLP programs are identified.

MeSH terms

  • Clinical Competence
  • Curriculum*
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Health Care Surveys
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Internship and Residency*
  • Speech-Language Pathology / education*
  • Speech-Language Pathology / organization & administration
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • United States