THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION IN SPEECH THERAPY

Abstract

Studies in medicine and sciences are constantly changing with the advancement of research and new discoveries. Continuing education in a field such as speech pathology is crucial for this reason. Most developed countries, like the United States of America and countries in Europe, make education after graduation mandatory and enforce restrictions on licenses in order to encourage people to renew them. Armenia, however, does not. For example, The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) requires all certificate holders (CCC-A and CCC-SLP) to maintain their ASHA Certificates of Clinical Competence and their CCC-SLP by taking additional courses every few years. Countries outside of the United States, such as Canada and Australia, have similar requirements of completing extra hours of practice and education in order to maintain the speech-language pathologist license.  Armenia also does not have a higher board or association that legally monitors and audits speech pathologists after graduation, but they should work to establish one in order to encourage and enforce speech pathologists to complete the requirements necessary to continue their practice. Armenia is trying to modernize and change the medical education system in order to advance their professional development and allow for the international mobility of healthcare workers, but they should also work to set requirements like these for the speech therapy field in Armenia. Continuing professional development allows for cardinal information that might have been forgotten over the years after graduating or receiving a license to be reviewed and recollected. With the introduction of new technologies and methods, speech pathologists need to be informed of the new ways of practice through their continuing education requirements. Speech pathologists in Armenia can use the opportunity of continuing education to learn how to use new methods such as Armav and incorporate them into their own practices.