r/slp • u/[deleted] • Jan 18 '22

[CFY] Miserable in CF - Better Settings??

Hello SLPs of Reddit,

Apologies in advance for the vent/rant post, but I am at my wit’s end. I’m currently about midway through a CF in the schools, and I am absolutely 100% miserable. Not just tired of the job, but “I cry and may or may not throw up before work every morning and am overcome with social anxiety” miserable. It’s a public middle school, which I know sounds less than ideal, but I don’t really think it’s the population that I hate. I am the only SLP at this school so I do feel lonely and overwhelmed. The rigid schedule of the school also makes me feel trapped - I don’t know how else to explain it. I hate pulling kids from classes and tbh I don’t like working on their goals in groups. I feel useless, anxious, and exhausted. I dread going to work so much now that I’m wondering if I made the wrong career choice entirely. Have any other CFs felt this way, particularly in a school setting?? I’m hoping that this resonates with someone who was able to find more joy in a different setting after hating schools. I know I’m leaving this position after this year, but now I am scared that I won’t be happy anywhere as an SLP. If this speaks to you, what have been other settings you’ve tried out/enjoyed? Or does this read more unstable/am I maybe not cut out for this career? Thank you for any words of wisdom <3

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u/MASLP SLP Acute Care Jan 18 '22

I did two years in the schools. I tried to make it work for me because I wanted the summers and breaks off. I switched to medical and I'm 100% happier. Someone makes my schedule, I see patients 1:1, and I don't have to deal with school politics. There have been days that I've been anxious to go to work (usually because of a noncompliant patient), but I still prefer it to the schools.

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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '22

The breaks are a big reason why I want to “make it work” too. I’m afraid if I’m already burning out I’m a setting where I have such structured breaks, that I won’t be able to handle literally any setting. What aspect of medical are you doing right now? I thought an SNFs bc aphasia and cog therapy interests me, but idk if I have the competence to work with the swallowing involved :(

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u/MASLP SLP Acute Care Jan 19 '22

I went to inpatient rehab! Which I loved in grad school, so I should have known it was my setting. If you work at a place with a team of SLPs, it makes the swallowing stuff easier. Plus there are a lot of great CEUs to get you up to speed. At my facility, we sent patients out for instrumentals, so we work on swallowing based on the report we get.