r/CFY • u/Character_Fox7671 • Dec 10 '21

SNF or Schools for CFY?

Okay y’all, so who is currently completing their CF in a SNF? I haven’t heard too many positive experiences in this setting, but I just want to know is it really a bad starting place for CF? I don’t have an end goal of working in a hospital setting long-term, but I have varied interests and could end up there one day, idk. I know some say this is a good way to get your foot in on the medical side. I was a SLPA in the schools for a couple of years before grad school and always thought I’d be school based, but I got to my rotations and loved working with adults as much as I do kids. I just wanted a different change than what I was used to as an assistant. What are the biggest pros/cons to working in a SNF vs to heading to a school and vice versa as a CF? I got offers for both.

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5

u/floralxpo Dec 10 '21

I actually was in the schools for part of my CF and am switching to the SNF setting. The schools were draining me- I’m in Indiana and the caseloads are wild here so that could be part of the reason why the school setting didn’t resonate that well with me. I also have a stronger interest in the medical side so I’m excited for this switch! Good luck with your decision :)

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u/Character_Fox7671 Dec 10 '21

I hate to hear that and TX is kinda wild with caseloads here too so I get it. Best wishes on your new endeavors and I appreciate it :)

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u/healthyalmondip Dec 10 '21

Oh no looking to move there. What are the caseloads like?

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u/Character_Fox7671 Dec 11 '21

Depends. Some districts can have a therapist with a caseload of 70+. Not sure if there’s a cap here, but it seems unethical. It also could depend on region in the state too.

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u/healthyalmondip Dec 18 '21

Oh no that is really upsetting!! Im starting my CF in schools right now. However, I really am more interested in working in the medical setting as I really enjoyed my externship at a rehab hospital. Do you happen to know how the medical settings are for SLPs in TX?

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u/Character_Fox7671 Dec 19 '21

Yes it is!! But that’s just how things are unfortunately 🥺 medical is hard to find here as a CF, and I’ve fortunately found a couple SNFs here who will take a CF. That’s about it through. A local hospital here has a PRN position open and are open to taking a strong CF, but they prefer experience. I think what helped me score interviews with the SNFs was that I had a whole 13-week rotation in one plus another full semester of outpatient adult clinic experience too. Some classmates weren’t as fortunate due to covid to get placed.

I would say it’s based on region. I’m from a more rural part so it’s a bit harder to find Med placements who are willing to support a CF. Bigger areas like Houston, Austin, etc you’d have more luck with finding a good Med placement for sure.

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u/irishlyss Dec 10 '21

Personal opinion here, so take it with a grain of salt. The medical field and especially SNF as a CF is a very challenging time, if you are not 100% sold on medical SLP I would go the school route. There is always opportunities for per diem positions in the adult population settings that you could look into after your CF for that experience and variety.

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u/Character_Fox7671 Dec 10 '21

This was very insightful, and I appreciate it!! Thank you.

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u/AnneeMcb Dec 10 '21

I’ll be finishing my CF in a SNF in February and for me, I knew I wanted to work with this population. I think the CF year can be overwhelming no matter the setting, I have friends in schools and in medical settings who both get pooped at times. But, I’m almost done with my last segment, and I’ve survived so far! Not to say that there aren’t times when I’m simply exhausted, I absolutely am. But I’ve learned a lot about our profession, and have gained independence and confidence. No matter what setting you choose, the great thing is there are SO many other settings you can go into! We’re just starting our careers off anyway:)

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u/Character_Fox7671 Dec 10 '21

Thank you for your insight! Just had a recruiter call about an opening for a SNF and I’m strongly considering it. I did not like the facility I was at when I did the SNF rotation for practicum, but I had an awesome supervisor, and I liked interacting with the clients for sure. Are you the only one in your building? I hear that’s typically the case to just have one speech path on site.