What some CFY lessons I learned?
Starting your CF is an exciting, yet daunting time. Some thoughts going through my head…
- I’m a licensed SLP! Yay!
- I finally have something productive to do! (If I watch another season of trash reality tv, I may lose all my brain cells…)
- I am so glad I don’t have to write another cover letter for at least nine months.
- Also, I have no idea what I’m doing…
Reawakening the Creative Mindset: CFY Lessons
Driving back from my second day as a CF, I experienced something that was missing from my life for a long time. Inspiration. Suddenly, idea after idea popped in my head for my blog and social media. That brainstorm session led to this series. Lessons from a CFY. And this experience brings me to my first of many CFY lessons.
CFY Lesson 1: I am Creative When I am Working My Brain.
I am probably not unique in this, but I haven’t had a period of downtime where I had no work or school for at least six years. Unemployment really brought me down and towards the end had me doing mindless activities. My motivation was just not there. That car ride made me feel like myself again. No matter what my CFY is like, I cannot wait for the return of inspiration.
Getting Started: CFY Lessons
In an ideal world, we’d start our CF at a slow pace. Learning everything we can and feeling 100% prepared to start. Well, that sometimes doesn’t happen. This isn’t meant to scare you, it’s just how it is. It could have to do with the schedule, availability of your supervisor, or simply just too many patients. Whatever the reason, it’s a lesson I’m embracing as a CF.
CFY Lesson 2: Be Ready to Get Thrown In.
You may be seeing patients your first or second week. In SLP externships, the start may have been more gradual and at your comfort level. It depends on the site, but your CF may be at a faster pace.
For me, I actually learn better this way because I don’t overthink my therapy choices. In my CF, I am seeing patients in my second week, and my supervisor and I are working together to choose the goals I am working on with patients and activities to match. Even starting with just a few observation sessions, I will jump in and learn as I go. A conflict can exist between what we’d like to do versus how the therapy world actually works. My site is a private practice, and at the end of the day, there are therapists out. Patients that need their therapy. If not for a CFY, their sessions get canceled.
At the end of the day, if you are more comfortable with more observation before practicing, that’s totally acceptable. It is something you can bring up to your supervisor. I do feel nervous to start treating patients, but I always remember what a professor told me.
At the very least, we are helping people.
When you get nervous, or upset about a mistake, think about this statement.
Managing Your Time
From my viewpoint, the CF is another year of graduate school. We are working full time jobs. We get paid. But we still are learning, and there’s a lot of learning to do. Regardless, I do take extra time to catch up on what I learn every day. Everything is fast paced and feedback doesn’t always come right away. There isn’t always time to ask questions, or figure out what your questions are.
CFY Lesson 3: Put Extra Time Into It
I am all about the work life balance. However, as a CF, this is the basis of the rest of our career. It sometimes leads to the inevitable of taking extra time to understand what we learn every day. However, if you make a schedule it won’t take more than 30 minutes in the evening. I journal every day or two days with:
- New SLP content
- What I learned about myself
- Questions I have
- Therapy Techniques and Explanations to Use
This helps me summarize the day and prepare for the next one. Additionally, documentation is difficult to manage time with, and the first few weeks I imagine I will be catching up when I get home until I get the hang of it. More to come on that soon.
Anatomy
One great lesson I’ve learned so far as a CF is that anatomy clicks way more once you are connecting it to patients. I don’t know how to conceptualize and understand anatomical planes and structures just on paper.
CFY Lesson 4: Anatomy... It Finally Makes Sense!
Now that I see a person and can visualize their normal and abnormal anatomy, it makes so much more sense. So if you’re stressing in anatomy, or worried that you’ve forgotten anything, don’t fret. There’s always time to review and make more connections with your learning. If you do want an SLP anatomy refresher, check out this video.
I hope these CFY lessons made sense to you all. If they help you prepare for your CF and reduce anxiety, I achieved my goal. What lessons have you learned in your CFY? Comment below!
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