So here's the catch up:
1. SPRING SEMESTER IS O-V-E-R!
I had no idea how intense this semester was going to be, and I am so glad it is finally over. I worked so hard this semester and am definitely looking forward to my short (2 week) break before I start ALL over again with new classes and new clients. Oh and I am officially a "second year"! All of the girls ahead of us graduated yesterday, so we are the new second years! I remember back in August when I was just starting graduate school and wondering how in the world I would ever make it... but I have! woo hoo! And this time next year it will be *ME* graduating.... Amy Simmons MS SLP-CCC... can't wait for that title!
2. Externship Placements
I found out Wednesday where I will be doing the rest of my graduate practicum! We have 3 semesters left and I will be at 3 different sites.
Summer (June-August): Regional Rehab Center- Tupelo, MS.
Want to check out their website? Click HERE. The drive from Oxford to Tupelo 3 days a week will be exhausting and expensive, but I know it will be worth it. I love the idea of working in a rehab setting one day, so this experience is wonderful. I will get to work with all ages (infants- adults) doing all types of therapy (speech, language, swallowing, cognitive, social, fluency...).
Fall (September- December): Lafayette Lower Elementary School
I am very excited about this! I worked at this school during undergrad and loved it! I made some wonderful friends in the teachers there, and I am excited to go back as a second year speech path intern! I plan on working in a school system once I have children of my own... 8:00-3:00? summers and all school holidays off? Yes, please. Perfect mom schedule. :-) So this experience will be great too!
Spring (February-April): North Mississippi Medical Center- Tupelo, MS
I am not sure about which part of the hospital I will be in yet. I am hoping acute rehab. My friend Carissa who graduated from UM's grad program last year is a speech pathologist in that dept. and I would love to be able to work with her. Stroke victims, swallowing pts, Traumatic Brain Injury cases... bring it on! This setting will be a challenge for me, and I am definitely nervous about it... but I know it will be amazing!
If only I didn't have to go to school while I was doing all of this... The academic part of my program is grueling, no doubt. And trying to balance all of this while having class 3 nights a week and working as a graduate assistant will be tiring ( as it has been these past two semesters), but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I am a second year. I have almost made it. I can do this. And one day (soon!) I will be a speech-language pathologist. :-)
And finally...
3. Mother's Day!
How can I not say anything about my mother on this special day?
Mama,
Words cannot express how thankful I am for you. I truly do not know how I would have made it through this first year of grad school without you. Thank you for the late night phone calls. Thank you for the notes of encouragement. Thank you for the hugs. Thank you for the "everything will be okay"'s. Thank you for telling me over and over again that I CAN do this. Thank you for letting me cry to you. Thank you for all of the lunches you made me while I was racing from the nursing home in Pontotoc back to Oxford. Thank you for doing the little things that I just don't have time to do.Thank you for being my best friend. Thank you for being you.
Love,
Amy
No comments:
Post a Comment