Speech Therapy Internship - Fall 2025

Application:

Please email Eric.segovia@maryfreebed.comonce you have applied to identify which department/program you are applying for.

Department/Program:

IP - Brain Injury (Full-Time)

IP Med Complex (32hrs/week)

OP - Peds (Full-Time)

Mary Free Bed System

We have the great privilege of helping patients and families re-build their lives. It's extraordinarily meaningful work and the reason we greet the day with optimism and anticipation. When patients "Ask for Mary," they experience a culture that has been sculpted for more than a century. Our hallmark is to carefully listen to patients and innovatively serve them. This is true of every employee, from support staff and leadership, to clinicians and care providers.

Mary Free Bed is a not-for-profit, nationally accredited rehabilitation hospital serving thousands of children and adults each year through inpatient, outpatient, sub-acute rehabilitation, orthotics and prosthetics and home and community programs. With the most comprehensive rehabilitation services in Michigan and an exclusive focus on rehabilitation, Mary Free Bed physicians, nurses and therapists help our patients achieve outstanding clinical outcomes.The growing Mary Free Bed Network provides patients throughout the state with access to our unique standard of care.

Mission Statement

Restoring hope and freedom through rehabilitation.

Summary:

Under supervision of a Speech Language Pathologist, the SLP Intern will assist in evaluating patient's need for SLP therapy. Plans and executes individual treatment programs in accordance with ASHA and SLP scope of practice. Keeps treatment skills upgraded through continuing education, evidence based research, and program development. Perform job responsibilities in accordance with the program's strategic objectives and goals to carry out organizational strategic objectives.

* Focus on Patient Care. A selfless drive to serve and heal connects all MFB employees.

* Clinical Variety and Challenge. An inter-disciplinary approach and a top team of professionals create ever-changing opportunities and activities.

* Family Culture. We offer the stability of a large organization while nurturing the family/team atmosphere of a small organization.

* Trust in Each Other. Each employee knows that his/her co-workers can be trusted to make the right decision for our family, patients, staff and community.

* A Proud Tradition. Years of dedicated, quality service to our patients and community have yielded a reputation that fills our employees with pride.

Age and Clinical Specific Competencies:

With guidance of the Supervising Speech Language Pathologist, the SLP Intern must be able to

demonstrate emerging knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served in assigned department. demonstrate basic knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his or her age-specific needs provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures.

Essential Expectations of Intership:

Each job responsibility is related to the MFB Pillars of Excellence. The responsibility is identified to a pillar by the following letters: Q (Quality), S (Service), P (People), G (Growth), F (Financial). All expectations will be guided by a liscensced and qualified Speech Language Pathology Clinical Instructor according to ASHA (American Speech and Hearing Association) guidelines and standards of clinical competency.

The SLP Intern will provide supervised patient care, treatment, and services within the scope of their skill set and as directed by their clinical supervisor. (Q,S)

Provides patient care. (Q)

• Evaluates patient condition.
• Establishes treatment goals in collaboration with patient and family as appropriate, and in collaboration with the treatment team. Treatment goals should be interdisciplinary and patient-centered whenever possible.Establishes written treatment plan, and administers treatment for each patient according to the stated goals. Delegates responsibilities to SLP therapy assistants and rehabilitation technicians as appropriate.
• Re-evaluates patient's status and effects of treatment. Revises treatment plan as necessary. Reviews revised goals with patient and family as appropriate.
• Evaluates patient's need for medical equipment and orders the appropriate equipment as necessary. Evaluates equipment upon delivery and instructs patient, patient's family and health care workers on its use.
• Participates in planning for patient discharge by considering and communicating with patient, family, community support/services and environmental limitations.

Demonstrates competence in relevant software and hardware required to meet job responsibilities. (Q)

Documents patient's status and progress through initial evaluation, progress notes, and discharge summary according to established internal/external time standards and adherence to reimbursement guidelines. (Q)

Communicates with others to integrate SLP therapy treatment with all aspects of patient care. (Q,S)

* Participates in conferences/discussions as needed and exchange of written records with other interdisciplinary team members to integrate SLP therapy treatment plan.

* Instructs the patient and the family in SLP therapy procedures as part of providing patient and family education including written instructions as necessary.

Attends various meetings and in-services as designated by supervisor. (Q,P)

Completes assigned work schedule as agreed upon by supervising SLP.

Follows all hospital policy and procedures including but not limited to patient confidentiality and infection control. (Q)

Assists Supervising SLP in meeting or exceeding program productivity expectations. (F)

Supports program operations as assigned. (Q,S,P,G,F)

Customer Service Responsibilities:

Demonstrates excellent customer service behaviors consistent with organizational and departmental standards. Consistently promotes teamwork and direct communication with co-workers. Deals discretely and sensitively with confidential information.

Responsibilities in Quality Improvement:

Contributes by identifying problems and seeking solutions. Promotes patient/family satisfaction where possible; participates in departmental efforts to monitor and report customer service.

Diversity and Inclusion:

Mary Free Bed values diversity and inclusion among patients, families and staff. We strive to hire people who reflect the communities we serve. Our employees will serve all patients, families and each other with dignity and respect.

Essential Job Qualifications (Knowledge, Education, and Training Requirements):

• Must be a student in an accredited graduate level university program for Speech Language Pathology.

• Possesses and maintains BLS certification to meet department/program protocol.
• Physical Demands: The physical ability to lift, position, and transport patients; the ability to constantly sit, occasionally stand, walk, bend, kneel, twist, crawl, grasp, reach, and frequently use hands for grasping; to hear, speak, write, and see (correctable vision); to frequently lift 1-10 pounds, and occasionally lift 11-100+ pounds; to frequently carry 1-10 pounds and occasionally carry 11-35 pounds; to occasionally push anywhere from 1-100 pounds; to occasionally pull up to 35 pounds; to exert up to 20-50 pounds of force occasionally, 10-20 pounds of force frequently, and exert up to 10 pounds of force constantly.

Reporting Relationship:

Program Manager, Site Leader or Team Leader, Clinical Instructor

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees in this classification. If you require a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions of this position, you must request accommodation in writing, within 182 days after you know or should know of the need for accommodation.

Mary Free Bed Inpatient Rehabilitation: This position is located within MFB's acute inpatient rehabilitation hospital. Population served includes but is not limited to; ages 18-99; focus on adult rehabilitation- including CVA, Head Injury, SCI, Respiratory Disease, CNS diseases, and Oncology. Areas of specialty include: VFSS, FEES, strobe. Exposure to an interdisciplinary treatment team will be provided with weekly physician conferences. Patients will be seen daily with goals of achieving highest quality of life prior to discharge.

Mary Free Bed Inpatient Rehabilitation (Pediatrics): This position is located within MFB's acute inpatient pediatric unit. Population served includes but is not limited to; ages 3 months-17 years: focus on pediatric rehabilitation- including Head Injury, Respiratory Disease, CVA, SCI, CNS Diseases, and Oncology. Areas of specialty include; VFSS, strobe, FEES. An interdisciplinary team-approach will be provided to include close communication with the pediatric Neuropsychologist and physicians. Patients will be seen daily with goals of achieving highest quality of life prior to discharge to the home/academic environment.

Mary Free Bed Outpaitent Rehabilitation (Adult): This position is located on the main campus of MFB in the outpatient building. Our SLP's provide services to ages ranging from 18-99. Diagnosis served includes the general neuro population, Outpatient Day Rehab Program, oncology services, post concussion and brain injury, dysphagia, voice, and other neurodenerative diagnosis. Specialties include MBS, FEES, Strobe, LSVT LOUD and Vital Stim therapy. Active multidisciplinary team interaction occurs on a daily - weekly basis. Adult rotations and experiences vary depending on the clinical supervisor.

Mary Free Bed Outpaitent Rehabilitation (Pediatric): This position is located on the main campus of MFB in the outpatient building. Our SLP's provide services to ages ranging from 0-17yr 9 mos. The pediatric experience is broad. Our department provides intervention across diagnosis that include head injury stroke, central nervous system disease, dysphagia and feeding deficits, and developmental speech/language/cognitive delays not otherwise associated with a diagnosis. In addition, the dept does complete the following instrumental assessments; VFSS, FEES, Strobe. Additional protocols include Beckman Oral Motor Protocol and myofascial release. Active multidisciplinary team interaction occurs Pediatric rotations and experiences vary depending on the clinical supervisor.

Hauenstein NeuroRehabilitation Clinic (Outpatient adult): This position is located at 245 Cherry Street in the Hauenstein Building at Mercy Health Saint Mary's Hospital. The SLP's at this location specialize in neuro-degenerative disease. The practice focuses on motorspeech disorders, dysphagia, and dysphonia. Clinicians specialize in LSVT LOUD, MBS, Strobe and FEES. They work collaboratively with the neuro and pulmonary depts at Mercy Health to service a wide variety of diagnosis including, but not limited to, Parkinson's disease, ALS (Lou Gherig's disease), Multiple Sclerosis, Stroke, Head and Neck cancer, Multi System Atrophy, Muscular dystrophy, and benign voice disorders. Active multidisciplinary interaction occurs weekly/monthly as programs meet. Daily interaction with physicians and nursing available as needed.

Mercy Health Saint Mary's Acute Care: This position is located downtown Grand Rapids.The hospital serves approximately 189 beds. Population served includes ages 18-99 in the acute care. The Institution is level II Trauma certified and fully accredited Comprehensive Stroke Center. Acute care clinicians serve patients across the hospital with wide diagnostic groups to include trach/vent, TBI and mTBI, craniotomy, stroke, progressive neurologic diseases, head and neck surgery/oncology, and acute COPD/acute respiratory failure populations. This practice does include routine VFSS completion by supervising SLP. Observation and training is expected. Active multidisciplinary team interaction across varied units within setting.

Metro Health Hospital University of Michigan Health offers Student Internships in the following areas with onsite Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation System SLPs:

IP Acute care: 208 bed hospital with a 14 bed ICU in Wyoming, Michigan. Population served includes ages 12-99 in the acute care. Institution is level II Trauma certified and fully accredited Comprehensive Stroke Center. Acute care clinicians serve patients across the hospital with wide diagnostic groups to include trach/vent, TBI and mTBI, craniotomy, stroke, progressive neurologic diseases, head and neck surgery/oncology, and acute COPD/acute respiratory failure populations. Active multidisciplinary team interaction across varied units within setting.

Outpatient Neuro/Swallow: robust outpatient clinic serving patient needs in neurology, dysphagia, head and neck, mTBI, TBI and ABI populations. Population includes ages 12-90. Outpatient specialty interventions include LSVT LOUD and VFSS imaging. Daily practice includes active multidisciplinary Outpatient Neuro team interaction.

Outpatient Voice/Swallow: robust outpatient clinic serving patient needs in voice disorders, dysphagia and myofunctional disorders. Outpatient specialty interventions include LSVT LOUD, Lessac-Madsen Resonant Voice therapy, Videoendostroboscopy, FEES and VFSS. Standard practice includes active collaboration with area Otolaryngologists, Pulmonologist, Gastroenterologists and Dentists.

Assisted Breathing Center/IP Acute care: 15-22 mechanical vent dependent unit. Population includes ages 20-80. SLP works with a multidisciplinary team to serve patients' cognitive-communication, AAC, and swallow needs with ready access to VFSS, FEES and Videoendostroboscopy as needed. Additionally, SLP provides care within the acute care pending census needs.