In my second post (the main reason I started this blog) I talked about transferring my degree internationally and my path to gaining U.S. national certification as a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP). Today, I thought I would share in more detail how I obtained state licensure to work as an SLP within the state of Florida.
In Australia, registration with the national certifying board, Speech Pathology Australia (SPA), is not a requirement, nor does a license exist. Successful completion of intensive, undergraduate courses accredited by SPA is what's required to practice. When I moved to America, 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 the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association (ASHA), but also obtain a license to practice at state level. Whaaaattt?!
The Florida Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology stipulates three possible pathways to obtaining state licensure:
I pursued route number 3. More information about all pathways to obtaining a license in the state of Florida can be found here and here.
The good news is that obtaining my state license was a quicker process than national certification. It was simply a matter of completing the application, paying fees, completing a couple of online courses, and submitting supporting documents. The application can be completed online, which can be found here.
As a foreign candidate who obtained my CCC's through the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), rather than undergoing U.S. graduate level education, I felt it was necessary to clarify that the Florida Board would accept my application upon completion of all the requirements specified in pathway number 3. Thus, I contacted the Florida Board in written form to discuss my situation as a foreign candidate.
Did I receive a definitive answer? Drum roll please...
YES!
I had in writing that the Florida Board would accept my application as long as I successfully completed all of the requirements set out in route number 3.
Each U.S. state holds its own set of requirements, some more strict than others. This is a very important topic which deserves a blog post of its own, so I will discuss this another time.
Who else out there has gone through a state licensure process? If so, which state? What did the process entail?
Have a great week,
Maree
The Florida Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology stipulates three possible pathways to obtaining state licensure:
- Licensure by Evaluation of Credentials (i.e. Master's or doctoral degree and their accompaniments).
- Licensure by Endorsement from Another State/Territory (i.e. holding a valid license or certificate in another U.S. state or territory).
- Licensure by Endorsement of Certificate of Clinical Competence by ASHA (i.e. currently holds a CCC from ASHA).
I pursued route number 3. More information about all pathways to obtaining a license in the state of Florida can be found here and here.
The good news is that obtaining my state license was a quicker process than national certification. It was simply a matter of completing the application, paying fees, completing a couple of online courses, and submitting supporting documents. The application can be completed online, which can be found here.
As a foreign candidate who obtained my CCC's through the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), rather than undergoing U.S. graduate level education, I felt it was necessary to clarify that the Florida Board would accept my application upon completion of all the requirements specified in pathway number 3. Thus, I contacted the Florida Board in written form to discuss my situation as a foreign candidate.
Did I receive a definitive answer? Drum roll please...
YES!
I had in writing that the Florida Board would accept my application as long as I successfully completed all of the requirements set out in route number 3.
Each U.S. state holds its own set of requirements, some more strict than others. This is a very important topic which deserves a blog post of its own, so I will discuss this another time.
Who else out there has gone through a state licensure process? If so, which state? What did the process entail?
Have a great week,
Maree
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Hello! Thanks for your interest. I look forward to hearing from you.