Sophie is a final year Speech and Language Therapy student in the School of Health & Psychological Sciences.
What were you doing before you came to study at City?
After I completed my first degree in drama, I was acting and also working for an arts education company (who I still freelance for whilst I'm studying).
What made you decide to come back to university?
I was feeling like I wasn’t sure where my career was heading and wanted to do something that I felt had more meaning. It took me a while to decide on speech therapy, but the search started when I was looking for something stimulating, challenging, person/client-centred and would be different every day. Volunteering for different charities and doing some shadowing of SLTs in different settings really made it clear for me that this was the right career choice.
Why did you decide to apply to study at City?
I wanted to study in London to make the most of work, clinical placement and volunteering opportunities whilst I was studying, and City is great for Speech and Language Therapy. When I visited, the staff and students were so enthusiastic and warm; they were a great indicator of the kind of environment that health courses foster here.
What were the most important resources in helping you to make a decision?
Visiting City was the thing that really convinced me, as it gave me a better idea of how well integrated teaching and practice are, and that was how I wanted to learn. Also talking to people working in the field that I was interested in- that is, SLT- gave me an idea of the reputation of different institutions and what they offer.
What is your favourite thing about studying at City?
The location, the staff, my fellow students, the work opportunities, the great support I receive here...picking one is too hard, I'm afraid.
How have your placements been?
We're on clinical placement one day a week throughout the autumn and spring terms, and then complete a summer block placement after exams. So far I've been working with children in mainstream primary schools, infants and adults in an acute hospital setting and secondary-aged students. I've also attended a extra lectures and conferences around specific communication and swallowing disorders, to build on what we learn in lectures.
What do you plan to do after you graduate?
I'd love to work with people who stammer or in dysphagia (swallowing disorders), which would most likely be in a community or hospital setting. This said, SLTs sometimes move around jobs, so it'd be exciting to try several different roles.
What would be your top tip for our applicants?
Visit the department. Call ahead and arrange to speak to a current student. Don't worry about where your friends are going.
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