Australian speech-language pathology students’ views on voice: A national survey of experiences and attitudes related to learning and working in the clinical domain of voice

PURPOSE: To explore the vocal demographics, attitudes, and personal and educational factors related to graduating speech-language pathology students' readiness and interest in pursuing voice-related clinical work when they enter the workforce. METHOD: An anonymous online survey was completed by 142 Australian speech-language pathology students in their final 6 months of study. Data were analysed descriptively and using quantitative and qualitative methods to explore factors influencing attitudes towards working in voice. RESULT: Students generally recognised the importance of voice quality and became more aware of their own voice during professional training, but their clinical confidence was stronger in assessment than in intervention. Interest in working with voice disorders was higher than confidence, with the two positively correlated, though not influenced, by a singing background. CONCLUSION: Speech-language pathology students enter their professional training with diverse but often limited prior vocal experience, generally positive perceptions of their own voices, and growing awareness of voice as part of their professional identity. However, many lack confidence in voice assessment and intervention skills, highlighting the need for further targeted education and clinical training to build a confident and competent speech-language pathology workforce.