The first master’s program in speech and language therapy has been launched in Ukraine. Training in this specialty has started at the Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University. From now on, the institution trains specialists who will be able to provide clinical care to people with speech, communication, swallowing or hearing disorders caused by trauma, strokes, wounds or neurological diseases.
“The war took away not only health from many, but also their voice. Therefore, speech and language therapists are an integral part of multidisciplinary rehabilitation teams: without them, high-quality care for patients with communication and swallowing disorders is impossible. Thanks to international cooperation, we have attracted teachers with PhD degrees and implemented training according to world standards. This systematically strengthens our capacity, improves the quality of services and forms a national school of communication rehabilitation in Ukraine”, – said Vasyl Strilka, Director of the Department of High-Tech Medical Care and Innovations of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
Speech and language therapists are an integral part of multidisciplinary rehabilitation teams working with patients with various communication or swallowing disorders. Until now, there were no diploma programs in Ukraine for the training of such specialists, and their functions were partially performed by speech therapists of an educational profile.
The new program became the first licensed master’s degree in this field in Ukraine, developed with the participation of international experts. It includes about 200 hours of classroom lessons and more than 400 hours devoted to independent training and clinical practice.
The teaching involves world-class specialists – experts from the USA, Switzerland and Belgium, as well as Ukrainian speech and language therapists who have already completed the first intensive training program. Practical training will be supervised by certified foreign specialists. After completing the training, graduates will be able to work as part of multidisciplinary teams in medical institutions or as independent specialists, helping people with speech, swallowing or communication disorders.
