“Our simulation lab has had a huge impact on our students. They feel much more comfortable as they head into their clinical education placements and their health care placements.”

While speech-language pathology programs typically focus on working with school children, IUP's program blends this emphasis with hands-on training for the healthcare side of the profession, thanks to a new lab.

The new lab can be configured to simulate a neonatal intensive-care unit, a radiology suite, an acute-care intensive room for a patient, as well as a general acute-care room where students can practice working with a variety of different patients. Working in the lab can help students prepare for clinical experiences.

"Our simulation lab has had a huge impact on our students," said Erin Clark, director of the IUP Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic. "They feel much more comfortable as they head into their clinical education placements and their healthcare placements. Our alumni are reporting that they may have a competitive edge as they are interviewing for healthcare-related positions."

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