Program overview

Program length: 1-2 semesters
Class size: 1 student
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Affiliated school: Jacksonville University

The Speech Pathology Graduate Internship in Voice and Upper Airway at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, prepares students in a speech language pathology program for professional practice in voice, upper airway, and swallowing centers.

Graduation and certification

Upon successful completion of the internship, students will have experience working directly with patients in assessment, intervention, and counseling. Time spent in this program will count toward required practicum hours.

The graduate internship prepares graduate students for speech language pathology state licensure and the Certification of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) offered by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Supervision and signing of clinical hours and documentation are performed by speech pathology clinical staff in the Otorhinolaryngology Department at Mayo Clinic.

All experiences are offered by exceptional clinical instructors in voice, upper airway, and swallow specialties in an outpatient setting as required and within ASHA’s Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology.

Application process

Prerequisites

To participate in the internship, applicants should have completed or concurrently be enrolled in a voice disorders and swallowing disorders class. They must also be enrolled at Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida.

Non-U.S. citizen applicants

Admission to Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences is open to U.S. workers in the four categories below. Therefore, visa sponsorship is not available.

1. U.S. citizens
2. U.S. nationals
3. Lawful permanent residents
4. Asylees and refugees

Applicants whose primary language is not English must submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based test (TOEFL iBT). Scores from the speaking portion of the exam are given particular consideration in admission decisions. Learn more about the exam and register online at the Educational Testing Service.

The Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences code for the TOEFL iBT is 5784.

Educational transcripts from schools outside the U.S. must be translated (if they are not already in English) and evaluated for U.S. equivalence by an accredited credential evaluation service company prior to submission. Please refer to the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services for a list of qualified companies. The applicant pays for the examination and credential-evaluation services.

How to apply

If you are interested in completing observation hours or a clinical rotation in the Speech Language Pathology Internship, you must have support from your university's program director and clinical director.

Email. Your affiliate university's speech language pathology program director or clinical director should email the Speech Language Pathology Internship director at Mayo Clinic to indicate their support for your acceptance as well as to provide your email and phone contact information. Students should not contact the Speech Language Pathology Internship director directly. 

Online application. Complete the following steps to apply:

1. Create an account to begin the online Application for Admission.
   • Select - Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences
   • Select - Speech Pathology Graduate Internship in Voice and Upper Airway
2. Complete each section of the application and submit
3. After submission, view the required Supplemental Items and Documents.
   • Upload each required item in the Supplemental Items section
   • Complete the Recommendations Request section

Additional required items

• CV/resume.
• Unofficial high school and college transcripts may be uploaded in the Supplemental Items area for application purposes.
• Personal Statement is to detail your goals and then be uploaded in the Supplemental Items section.
• Two letters of recommendation are required and must be completed in the Recommendation Request section. Each recommender will receive an email with a link to complete a rating form and upload a letter.

Interview process

Applicants considered for acceptance may be invited for a virtual/in-person interview with the program director and selected faculty.

Acceptance

You will be notified of acceptance via email and your reply is expected within five business days.

Tuition and financial aid

There is no tuition. Speech pathology interns do not receive a stipend.

You are responsible for your living accommodations and transportation.

Curriculum

During the internship, learning experiences allow students to:

• Be mentored by clinical instructors who are committed to teaching and have exceptional skills and specialties in the profession in the outpatient clinic setting
• Train in our state-of-the-art voice clinic, where we evaluate and treat a wide spectrum of voice disorders using videostroboscopy, acoustic and aerodynamic measures of voicing, perceptual evaluations, and participate in monthly Botox clinic.
• Become skilled in the evaluation and treatment of patients in the preoperative and postoperative periods in relation to laryngeal surgery.
• Analyze fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) exams.
• Evaluate and treat voice, upper airway, and swallowing disorders in adult patients.
• Learn documentation, goal writing, and billing according to departmental, organizational, regulatory, legal, and professional documentation standards.

Schedule

The program schedule will follow the schedule as directed by the university affiliate.

Accreditation information

See accreditation information for Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.