A Speech Pathologist is a healthcare professional who intervenes with people who have issues or disorders related to speech, voice, language, or swallowing. When people think of speech issues, they often think of lisps or stutters. However, the field of speech-language pathology is vast and serves a very diverse client base. 

About 7% of children aged 3-17 have a voice, speech, language, or swallowing disorder. Every year, 795 000 people have strokes, about a quarter of which are strokes in people who have already had one. Strokes often affect language, speech, and the muscles of the face. For all of these cases, Speech Pathologists are the health care experts that intervene to help. 

Speech Pathologists study the anatomy of the mouth, throat, ears, and vocal cords. They also research linguistics, developmental psychology, and various disorders. This makes them uniquely specialized professionals who can help people with a range of issues. 

Personality of a Speech Pathologist

• Excellent Verbal Communication Skills

This is true for most professions but especially true when your specialization is verbal communication disorders. You need to explain to patients and their families what the issue is and the treatment plan.

• Empathy

Many patients that see Speech Pathologists have a hard time expressing themselves. It is the Speech Pathologist's job to empathize with their situation and work with them in a calm, caring, and compassionate manner. 

• Team Player

Speech Pathologists usually work with other health professionals such as Nurses, Occupational Therapists, and Social Workers.  They need to work collaboratively as part of the team to ensure that the patient has the best possible care. 

• Problem-Solvers

No two patients are alike. Speech Pathologists need to develop therapies and treatment plans that will work for each patient and tailor their approach to many different personality types and cognitive abilities.