Abstract
This investigation assessed the factors affecting career choice among 474 current undergraduate and graduate speech-language pathology and audiology students (from four universities). A 14-item questionnaire was developed that included questions related to general influence of career choice and whether or not the participants had previously been, or are currently, diagnosed with a communication disorder. Results indicated that both indirect and direct personal exposure to either field can be a significant factor in career choice for students. The majority of participants (70%; n = 331) indicated that the desire to work in a helping profession most directly affected their decision to become a speech-language pathologist or audiologist. Findings highlight those variables that affected a student’s decision to enter these fields and will assist human resource managers with the recruitment of professionals to our workforce.
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