Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background in healthcare.
I completed my bachelor’s degree in Speech and Hearing Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and my master’s degree in Communication Disorders from the University of Kentucky. I earned my certificate of clinical competence in speech-language pathology while working in the hospital setting. Over the years, I’ve gained experience in various settings including inpatient, acute rehab, skilled nursing, and hospital-based outpatient. I enjoy helping as needed at a local hospital to keep my clinical skills sharp. In my free time, I love hanging out with my family, running, being outdoors and watching movies.
What did you do prior to joining Dynamic Health’s clinical editor team?
Prior to joining the clinical editor team, I was providing inpatient, acute rehab, and outpatient speech-language pathology services at a local hospital. This involved assessing and treating primarily adult patients with various diagnoses who were experiencing difficulty swallowing, problems with voicing, and impairments in speech, language, and cognitive communication.
What inspired you to become a healthcare professional?
When I was in seventh grade, my mother had a stroke resulting in right-sided paralysis and difficulty expressing and understanding language. Although she made progress during her speech therapy sessions, she struggled to express basic words and phrases. I helped her regain the ability to say family names and important phrases, such as “I love you”. This experience fueled my passion to major in speech-language pathology in college.
What drew you to work at EBSCO on our clinical decisions products?
Although I love caring for patients in my local community, I was drawn to EBSCO to make an impact on a larger scale. I love being able to create evidence-based and easily accessible content to expedite workflow for healthcare workers and improve patient outcomes.
What makes you passionate about working in healthcare?
Making an immediate, positive difference in the healthcare space is very rewarding. For me, a few examples include placing one-way speaking valves so patients can talk with loved ones, helping patients regain the ability to swallow safely to enjoy their goal meals, and creating content that empowers other speech-language pathologists to incorporate evidence-based care into their practice.
What is your advice for people who are thinking about joining the healthcare space?
Healthcare is a great and growing field with a vast array of professional opportunities. I recommend attending local career fairs and shadowing in healthcare fields of interest. You can be a bright light in the darkest moments. Find your passion, be a lifelong learner, take care of yourself, and make a difference.
Can you talk a little bit about your work on Dynamic Health?
I am a clinical content specialist for speech-language pathology topics. This entails diving into the literature, creating quality clinical content, updating existing content, and participating in the peer review process. My work also involves taking part in initiatives to improve Dynamic Health processes and products.
