Bronco Spotlight: Brittany Pieters
Master of Arts, speech language pathology, 2014
Current Job Title:
Speech Language Pathologist, Clinical Fellow
Current Employer:
Children's Colorado
Describe your current job:
I work for a children's hospital in an outpatient pediatric care center. My job focuses on treating children, birth to 18, with speech and language issues.
What is the most rewarding and the most challenging part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is helping children communicate with decreased frustration. Seeing a child 'light up' because they were able to get their message across to a family member or peer is very rewarding. The most challenging part of my job is managing all of the paperwork that comes along with working at a hospital. Everything needs to be documented in order for insurance to cover services for our families.
What activities, resources, or people helped you prepare for your career?
Participating in a wide variety of pediatric placements during my time at WMU influenced the job setting I am in currently. I was fortunate to be a part of the preschool language intervention program (PLIP), as well as multidisciplinary clinics, which helped me understand group therapy, working with families, and working with other medical professionals. These experiences guided me to an outpatient speech therapy setting, where I am able to incorporate all these attributes together in one spot.
What advice do you have for others pursuing a career similar to yours?
Be an advocate for yourself during your time in graduate school. Ask supervisors, professors, and mentors for help finding placements and opportunities that are tailored to your passions. The answer is always no, unless you ask.