Certification in Two Countries: To Keep or Not to Keep?

That is the question.

Hi, folks!

When moving abroad, people who work in the Allied Health field want to know if it is worthwhile not only transferring credentials internationally, but also maintaining professional certification and license to practice in their home country.

When I moved to America, I renewed my certification and membership with Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) each year. Since moving back to Australia, I have maintained my certification with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and renewed my Florida state licensure.

Feeding Time on Siesta Key 
Florida, USA
Photo taken by Maree Richardson

Downside:

• Expensive! It costs me about $937 AUD ($647 USD) per year to maintain all three  certifications/licenses.
• Time consuming to update professional development hours and check progress toward compliance for three certifications/licenses. After I complete a training course, I login to three different websites to enter the information, as each association has their own requirements.

Upside:

• Freedom of moving between countries and being allowed to work right away. This makes it easier to find a job and reduces financial stress. You don’t have to repeat the laborious and costly application process for certification. You're ready to go!
• Although expensive, certification/license fees are due at different times of the year, which means you can budget and don’t have to "fork out" all the money at once. SPA fees are due by end of June, whereas ASHA and Florida state license fees are due by end of December.
• You can apply the same professional development hours to all certifications/licenses. For example, speechpathology.com offers unlimited, online continuing education courses which are recognised by all three professional associations who I am certified/licensed with. 

So, is it worth it? 

For now, yes. The advantages currently outweigh the disadvantages.

I’m interested to hear your thoughts on this topic. Feel free to comment below.

Cheers!

Maree

Life Update 2019

Hi, folks!

It has been awhile since I've updated you on my whereabouts. The last time was in 2017, and the time before that was in 2015.  Apparently I like odd numbers.

We are still in Florida, enjoying the sunshine, palm trees, and occasional hurricane. In 2017, Hurricane Irma, the strongest hurricane in terms of maximum sustained winds in the Atlantic, unbecomingly graced us with her presence. We evacuated our home for a few days, and then returned to repair the damage and clean up the debris.

Surprised Greg with a picnic in the spot where he proposed a few years ago.
Location: Sarasota, Florida, USA
Photo credit: camera, tripod and 10-sec timer. 

In 2017, Greg underwent spinal surgery. The hospital health care team had him up and walking that same day, and he has since recovered well, accompanied by a cute little tail (scar) on his lower back. I have also had ongoing lower back issues, so we are both taking life a little slower these days. Yoga, stretching, and hiking have become our new best friends. While we're on the topic of surgery, I recently had all four wisdom teeth removed. Fun times!

My journey as a Speech Language Pathologist transitioned to a school-based setting. If you're interested, here are links to read about how to transfer degrees/licenses internationally and obtaining state licensure in America. I'm currently placed at an Elementary (Primary) School and Preschool, providing assessment and therapy for the communication needs of school-aged children from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds. Learning to cater to varying needs in small-group settings, rather than on an individual basis, has been a challenge. A shorter commute, an opportunity to brush up on my Spanish skills, and developing relationships with my sweet kiddo's has been a blessing. Oh, and the school holiday schedule is a bonus. 😉

A couple of 2017 highlights included a fleeting trip to Australia to visit family, friends, and a special mother-daughter trip to Tasmania, Australia. In December of that year I officially became a U.S. Citizen, and am now honored to officially call myself a dual citizen of Australia and America. If interested, you can read about my transition from Resident to Citizen. 

Location: Honeymoon Bay, Tasmania, Australia
Photo credit: Maree Richardson

2018 was the year of adventure: a road trip through the Wild West, hiking various National Parks and Monuments in Texas and New Mexico; a bridesmaid for my bestie's wedding; a wonderful mother-daughter trip through the forests, oceans, and delectable wine country in south-west Western Australia; roughed it through our "first-timers" #vanlife trip through the breathtakingly beautiful National Parks of California and Oregon. Wow - what a year!

Aside from traveling, we renovated our guest bathroom. Our house was built in 1958, so the original tiling was ... mature. We started with the intention of completing the entire renovation by ourselves. Too high of expectations, perhaps? An enormous thanks to my colleagues' husband, who helped us finish the drywall and tiling - what a legend! The guest bathroom is now sparkling, modern, and minimalist. It's our favorite room in the house!

BEFORE Bathroom Remodel

AFTER Bathroom Remodel

Now, we find ourselves in the depths of 2019. We spent New Years with family in Wagga Wagga, Australia, followed by an awe-inspiring trip to Thailand. I'm continuing to learn and work as a Speech Language Pathologist in the local school system. Greg is continuing to work as an I.T. Consultant for an international company. We attended a beautiful Greek/Italian wedding, and are completing some minor repair jobs around the house.

Bring on the rest of 2019!

Please feel free to reach out to me with any comments or questions regarding working and/or living abroad, transferring degrees/licenses internationally, travelling around America, or just to say "G'day!". I would LOVE to connect with more friendly faces. 😊

Have a great day,

Maree

10 Things I Have Learnt Living Overseas

Hi, folks!

Here is my raw and brutally honest review of things I have learnt living and working overseas.


1. The longest period I spent away from Australia without visiting was just over 12 months.  Upon returning, I felt like a foreigner in my home country.  I wandered around feeling like a naive tourist, and commented on the strong Aussie accent of passersby that I once used to have.

2. Speaking of accents, mine keeps changing! Australians say I sound American, Americans say I sound British/South African/New Zealand/German/French - some days I am unsure where I belong.  My career in Speech Language Pathology most likely contributes to my accent change, because I need to be understood by the children and parents I serve, and teach my clients how to produce sounds and words according to their dialect.  Slowly converting American children to Australians, one accent at a time ... Just kidding! 😉 When I first touch base in Australia, my friends and family say I sound really American, and make fun of me for "taking a shower to get cleaner and feel better".  However, after a day or two of immersion into my Aussie culture, I soon fall back into "taking a showa to get cleana and feel betta, maaaaaate".

3. TIP: Prepare a "catch phrase" or clever response for those times when people ask "Where are you from?".  Sometimes I feel like saying "I'm from Antarctica with the polar bears", just to really stump them.  Only on rare occasions do unfamiliar people guess my accent correctly. 

4. I love trying new foods from all different cultures.  Whenever we go on a date night, Greg and I usually choose an ethnic restaurant.  However, sometimes I have those days where I just crave a good ol' Aussie vegemite sanga.

5. Americans LOVE Australians.  They love our laid-back attitudes and accents.  We are associated with iconic legends like Steve Irwin "The Crocodile Hunter", and Paul Hogan's catch phrase "Put a shrimp on the barbie".  They also think we are tough and strong, having to deal with all of the dangerous animals that are apparently out to kill us ... please, America, have you forgotten about your brown bears and alligators?? 😉

South Beach, Miami. Photo taken by Maree Richardson.

6. TIP: Remember and/or practice entering your bank account details for your home country on a regular basis.  On one of my visits to Australia, there was an uncomfortable moment where I forgot my bank account number and password.  After entering it incorrectly a number of times, I was locked out of my bank account.  I called a representative who asked me a bunch of questions including my secret questions.  Turns out I must have answered them incorrectly, also.  After a series of hesitant "okay"'s and "a-huh"'s from the representative, she said she could not assist me at that time and suggested that I visit a branch to sort it out.  Long story short, I visited a branch and was served by the most lovely and understanding bank employee who helped me renew everything.

7. People in other countries often talk about how friendly and happy Aussies are, but I had never noticed this concept until I had been away for over 12 months.  The lady who helped me at the bank branch (from the prior story) spoke to me like a friend, and I left the bank feeling calm, warm and fuzzy (not usually how banks make one feel).  When visiting Tasmania for the first time, and aimlessly getting lost around the streets of Launceston, a friendly person working in the street stopped what he was doing, and took time out of his day to ask if we needed help and gave us directions.  So kind! 

8. It's OK to talk to strangers on planes.  This tends to happen more when I am flying by myself.  You know within the first couple of minutes of making "small talk" with the person sitting beside you whether they are in for a chat or prefer to be left in peace.  I strongly believe you can learn something from everyone you meet in life, whether they stay in your life for 5 minutes, 5 years, or forever.  In the words of Dr. Seuss, "You can learn something new everyday if you listen".

Started out strangers, ended up friends!  Rocky Mountain National Park.
Photo taken by Colorado Sightseers.  

9. Be prepared to translate everything - vocabulary; measurements; dress sizes; humor.  My temperature conversion skills from Celsius to Fahrenheit are improving, but I still use the Converter App on my phone at times.  You will often hear short pauses in my conversation when I am thinking about my audience and which word I need to use - "boot" or "trunk", "bonnet" or "hood", "jumper" or "sweater", "Autumn" or "Fall", "Primary" or "Elementary", "thongs" or "flip flops" - you get the point.  When someone asks me for my dress size, I have to convert Australian sizes to American sizes and vice versa.  There's even jokes and phrases I sometimes use that cause a confused expression on my communication partner's face, which I then have to explain what it means, and by then it has lost all meaning and humor.

10. You will STRONGLY appreciate spending time with your friends and family.  Having a specific, often short, time to spend with my best friends and family means that I am totally invested in them.  We truly make the most of quality time together and it never goes to waste (often at the expense of little to no sleep!) but the memories made are always totally worth it.  Quality over quantity.


Who can relate?


From the utterly confused and happily exhausted,


Maree

Update and Happy New Year!

Hey, folks!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! It has been quite some time since I last wrote a blog post, and what a better day to start writing than New Years Day, right?!  I thought I would update you on where life and work has taken me over the past two years.

At the beginning of 2015, I was awarded my national and state licensure to work as a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) in Florida, U.S.A. Here are the links to read about how to transfer degrees/licenses internationally and obtaining state licensure in America.

For the past two years I have been working in a preschool/outpatient facility, providing therapy for the communication and feeding needs of children with a range of complex communication needs. This role has been both challenging yet rewarding, and the experiences I have obtained have been immeasurable on both a professional and personal level.

My Permanent Residency status is now unconditional, and I am ready to apply for my U.S. Citizenship in March of 2017 so that I can become a Dual Citizen of Australia and America. As anyone who has moved internationally would know, the road to Citizenship is a long and grueling process, but I am hopeful the results will be all worth it! Here is the link to read about the different types of U.S. Visa's you need for work and travel.

My husband and I have been blessed to have had the opportunities/time to travel, both locally and internationally, over the past two years. Destinations have included China, South Korea, Australia, The Smoky Mountains (Tennessee), Key West (Florida), Zion National Park (Utah), Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah), and our most recent camping trip along the Southeast coast through the states of South Carolina and Georgia.  Despite back injuries, we have really taken a liking to hiking and exploring The Great Outdoors, which I hope we continue to do throughout the New Year.  

Please feel free to reach out to me with any comments or questions regarding working internationally, transferring degrees/licenses internationally, or just to say "hi". I would LOVE to connect with more friendly faces who are travelling along this weirdly enjoyable journey called "life".  In the meantime, as I reflect back on the year that was, here is my favorite photo from 2016:

Zion National Park, Utah, U.S.A. 

Sending peace, love, and happiness to you all in 2017,

Maree

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