Making the Invisible Visible: Asian American Speech-Language Pathologists' Experiences in Their Path to the...

Area of Science:

• Speech-language pathology
• Qualitative research
• Asian American studies

Background:

• The experiences of underrepresented minorities in health professions are increasingly studied.
• Little is known about the specific graduate training experiences of Asian American speech-language pathologists (SLPs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the lived experiences of Asian American SLPs during their graduate training.
• To identify themes related to their professional journey and sense of belonging.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative phenomenological study.
• 26 Asian American SLPs participated in semistructured interviews.
• Thematic analysis was used to analyze interview data.

Main Results:

• Three themes emerged: motivations for choosing SLP, expectations of mutual investment in training, and the impact of social aspects on belonging.
• Participants' experiences showed similarities to other underrepresented groups in health professions.
• Distinct aspects included the social environment's role in belonging and the perceived link between linguistic proficiency and clinical competence.

Conclusions:

• Findings highlight the importance of social belonging and perceived competence for Asian American SLPs.
• Educators, leaders, and researchers can use these findings to foster greater inclusion.
• Supports are needed to enhance the professional growth and sense of belonging for Asian American students in speech-language pathology programs.