Tutorial: A Guide to Getting Started With the Clinical Fellowship Experience

Purpose: The clinical fellowship (CF) experience is a pivotal time for speech-language pathologists as it marks the transition from being a student clinician to practicing as an independent clinician. The Clinical Fellow embarks on this process with the support of a CF mentor, who serves a critical role in supporting the development and growth of a new professional. The Clinical Fellow and mentor must also consider the standards and implementation procedures defined by the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CFCC) for the Clinical Fellow to successfully obtain the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) in speech-language pathology. This is because the CFCC has defined eight standards needed to obtain the CCC, and the CF fulfills only one of these standards (Standard VII: Speech-Language Pathology CF). Although ASHA provides many detailed resources related to the standards, the CCC application itself, and the specific requirements of the Clinical Fellow and mentor during the CF, the complexity of the overall certification process can make understanding the requirements a challenge. Conclusions: This tutorial presents the guidelines, processes, and expectations of the CF in accordance with the CFCC Standard VII in an integrated format, with potential areas of confusion clarified and interpreted. This tutorial also provides additional tips outside of the basic CF requirements, with the goal of serving as a comprehensive starting guide for students planning for the CF, clinicians considering the role of mentor, or anyone navigating the CF process.