Transferring SLP Credentials Internationally

Moving from Australia to America meant I had to endure the task of transferring my credentials internationally. Let me tell you, it was a rollercoaster ride! That’s why I started this blog. I hope to educate and inspire others about this uncharted territory. Here's how it all began...

My husband, Greg, and I met on a college campus tour at the University of Newcastle in Australia, about five years ago. Prior to leaving on his international exchange, Greg’s mother told him not to go falling in love with any Aussies. Whoops – sorry Mum! Needless to say, my father spat his mouthful of coffee out when he heard I was dating a ‘yank’. After four years of countless Skype calls with dodgy Internet connection, and plane flights that left us with shrunken wallets, we got married. As anyone else who has endured a long distance relationship would know, next came the landslide of questions, including the inevitable "Where are you going to live"? I find this question really difficult to answer. How can you pick just one place to settle in for the rest of your life? Sure, lots of couples get married, settle down and have kids. But my husband and I, we are a different kind. Currently, we live in a cute little house in Sarasota, Florida: a stone’s throw from Siesta Key Beach which was recently voted as the number 1 beach in America and number 14 in the world by Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice. Tough life, I know. ;)

Siesta Key Sunset. Image taken by Maree Richardson.

One of the biggest, and perhaps most interesting, hurdles to obtaining my certification in America was the difference between the tertiary education programs and qualification standards for SLPs in both countries. In Australia, completion of undergraduate courses accredited by Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) are required to practice. My course was a four year, intensive program with a strong emphasis on hands-on clinical work (practicums) from the very beginning. In America, a four year undergraduate degree and a two year graduate degree is required to practice with supervision, PLUS a Clinical Fellowship (CF) year to practice unsupervised. Does this mean that education standards are more advanced in the US? No! To put it into perspective, I acquired over 900 hours of clinical work throughout my four year program. For students who are educated in America, the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) stipulates that “a minimum of 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience” during their graduate level studies are required for certification. Additionally, full-time study in Australia equates to 16 credit hours per semester, highlighting the intensity of the programs. Alternatively, full-time study in America constitutes 12 credit hours per semester. I can see the advantage to both programs. Students who are educated in America gain a broader understanding of general concepts, studying subjects outside of their main course during their undergraduate years. Those educated in Australia achieve the same result in a more time-efficient and cost-effective manner.

Initially, I set out planning to undergo a Master’s Degree, thinking that was the be-all and end-all to obtaining certification in America. I studied for and took the dreaded GRE, an exam that undergraduate students take for admission into a graduate level program. To cut a long story short, I was declined entry into a graduate degree program despite meeting all of the requirements. There has to be another way for an SLP to gain certification to work in the States.

Good news – THERE IS!

Foreign individuals are afforded an alternative path to certification. After some late night Google searches, my tech-savvy husband came across the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA). Little did I know that this document was going to become my Bible during the certification process.

What is the MRA?

In 2008, the MRA was signed by six internationally recognized professional Associations for the profession of Speech Language Pathology: United States; Canada; England; Ireland; New Zealand; and Australia. It became effective on January 1, 2009.  The MRA was designed in response to the need for increased international trade and mobility, and thus recognizes that Speech Language Pathologists who have gained acceptance and recognition from their home Association should also be recognized by other Associations. In other words, it recognizes that my intensive undergraduate degree, which provides full qualification to practice in Australia, is the equivalent of the United States’ requirement of graduate level education. You can find more info about it here.

As stated in the MRA, a SPA certified Speech Language Pathologist “will be granted” ASHA certification through the following procedure: 

• Obtain a letter of ‘good standing’ from home Association, SPA, attesting that I hold certification as a Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist.
• Send application form and applicable fees to the new Association, ASHA.
• Sign a declaration of disclosure regarding any convictions for criminal offences.
• Sign a statement of consent to allow all disciplinary boards to share information.
• Show evidence of passing the ASHA-approved national certification examination.

I pursued this path and was awarded my Certificate of Clinical Competencies (CCC’s) in February, 2015 - happy days! As there was so little knowledge out there about the MRA and transferring credentials internationally, I took the round-a-bout way of getting to this point – lots of P.A.P.E.R.W.O.R.K. And phone calls. Oh, and did I mention fees? Yes, there were lots of fees to pay. Joy. Therefore, my wish is to assist others in achieving successful transition of their SLP international credentials in the most efficient and least stressful way possible (i.e. halve the paperwork, phones calls and fees). For any Aussies thinking of working as an SLP in the USA, the 5 dot points listed above are all you need to complete. Here is further explanation of each one:

• To obtain a letter of ‘good standing’ from SPA, you need to be awarded Certified Practising Speech Pathologist (CPSP) status by participating in the Professional Self Regulation (PSR) program. This means accruing 20 points through professional development activities annually. You can find more info about it here. (This requirement is the reason why the certification process through the MRA takes one year to complete).
• The application form and fees, declaration of disclosure and signed statement of consent can be found here.
• The ASHA-approved national certification examination is the Speech-Language Pathology Praxis Exam (5331). You can find more info about it here.

The reason I’m focusing on Aussie SLPs moving or thinking of moving to America is because I have found it difficult to find any. I reached out on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, and found quite a few SLPs who moved between the US, the UK, Canada and New Zealand, and even a few who made the move from America to Australia, but only a couple who have made the same transition as me.

I guess sometimes in life you have to take the path less traveled.

It should be noted that registration is not a requirement within Australia, nor does a license exist. Successful completion of undergraduate courses accredited by SPA are all that's required to practice. You can imagine how mind-blown I was when I was told that I not only needed to be registered on a national scale through ASHA, but also obtain a license to practice a state level. America is funny that way – each state has its own rules and regulations, there is no such thing as uniformity across the nation. The bad news is that not all states will solely accept ASHA Certification, some require completion of an accredited Master’s degree. This rules out some states I can work in (e.g. California). Fortunately, Florida stipulates three possible ways of obtaining state licensure, one being the acceptance of ASHA Certification. The good news is that obtaining a state license is a much quicker process than national certification. It’s simply a matter of filling out some forms, asking ASHA to kindly send proof of your CCC’s, and verification of any state or international licenses you hold elsewhere. Oh yes and I almost forgot, there’s a fee. ;)

You can look up requirements on a state by state basis here.

I would like to invite anyone who has had to start work in a new country to share their story, thoughts and insight. I'll also welcome all comments, questions and discussion from anyone who has moved, is thinking about moving, or those just interested in the topic.

Have a great day!

Maree