FMU’s Speech-Language Pathology Program provides unique on-campus clinical experience

Francis Marion University is redefining the clinical experience in Speech-Language Pathology. 

FMU is one of the few universities in South Carolina to offer a Master of Speech-Language Pathology degree, and the university’s work in the area of pediatric dysphagia has made it a national leader in the field. Dysphagia is a medical term for difficulty or discomfort while swallowing. 

The program offered at the FMU Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing is a leader in South Carolina for routines-based intervention that teaches a patient’s caregiver to integrate treatment into pre-existing routines. 

“This department was started because there are not enough speech-language pathologists in the Pee Dee region,” said Dr. Frances Burns, Chair of the Department of Speech-Language Pathology, and a guiding force since the program began in 2018. 

“The program provides an excellent educational experience for the students that allows them to adequately serve the people of our area,” said Burns. “We hope to take away the healthcare disparities related to speech-language pathology in the Pee Dee region.” 

The future of the Speech-Language Pathology program is bright, led by advances in Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) technology. Aided by equipment using dye and a scope to observe patients’ internal swallowing mechanics, practitioners can use video sent directly to a tablet to help determine the safest and least restrictive way for patients to consume foods and liquids. 

Dr. Michele Norman, Graduate Studies Coordinator for Speech-Language Pathology, is leading the effort to obtain and utilize the technology to more efficiently and accurately teach patients to swallow. The equipment will also help students examine motor and sensory functions of swallowing. 

Once this technology is in place, the FMU Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing will be one of the only university clinics in the nation teaching pediatric patients to swallow on site.

Students at most speech-language pathology programs in South Carolina must travel to an external site to fulfill this critical piece of their curriculum. At FMU, everything is on location at the Hugh and Jean Leatherman Medical Complex in downtown Florence, making the program more appealing to prospective students.

“We are using current, evidence-based practice” said Michelle Dawson, Coordinator of Clinical Education for Speech-Language Pathology. 

“Dr. Burns’ instruction carries over to what we are enacting in the clinic. We meet the caregiver and child where they are. We coach the caregivers on how to implement effective change without adding more to their plate by sending them home with a worksheet of things to do,” said Dawson. 

In addition to speech and language therapy, the FMU Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing treats patients with disorders related to eating, swallowing, memory, and cognition. 

“In this practice, you have to stay up to date on best practice,” said Burns. “The goal is for students to get the most comprehensive experience they can in the clinic.” 

Students, under the supervision of clinical educators, treat patients of all ages, ranging from children born with a communication disorder to senior adults who have suffered from a stroke. Watching the patients complete their customized therapy programs is a rewarding experience for both students and faculty.

“It is great for the students to see patients’ progress and apply what they have learned in class to a patient’s treatment plan,” said Dawson. “Seeing the patients graduate from the program and achieve their goals is incredible. That’s why we do what we do.”