Who Am I? The identity crisis of the dysphagia specialist

By George Barnes MS CCC-SLP

What’s in a name?

We are in the midst of an identity crisis. And no wonder. The SLP does 1000 different things under 25 different titles. Heck, even in my case with a position as specific as a medical SLP with a concentration in dysphagia, I still don’t know my own name. Am I a speech pathologist, speech-language pathologist, deglutitionist, swallowologist, speech therapist, speech and swallow therapist… The list goes on. The issue here is not so much the name itself of course. It’s the identity that comes with the name. 

Having a unified identity that everybody understands (including ourselves) makes for a clearer connection to each other and the rest of medicine. It allows us to quickly communicate our values and goals. When a doctor walks into a room and introduces herself, the patient will make clear connections to their knowledge, expertise, and skills in less than a second.  Our introduction takes a 5-minute explanation of why we are even allowed in the room. Without this explanation we get, “My speech is fine thank you very much. Bye now.”

Doctors have it easy

So why is it that doctors have such an easy time with identity, while SLPs are going through an identity crisis? Well, for starters doctors have been around for thousands of years. The SLP specializing in dysphagia doesn’t even precede me, both coming into formation in 1986. Doctors have had time to sort out their positions, concentrations, expertise, and titles. Yes, the roles of some MDs remain confusing and abstract, but at least you have an idea in your head of what a gastroenterologist does vs an oncologist vs a general practitioner. 

What’s the answer?

So what’s next for the SLP who doesn’t know their name? Do we put our heads down, focus on what’s most important, and concentrate on the patient without giving much consideration to what people call us? It’s tempting, but maybe not effective in the long run. Identity is the foundation of who we are, what our purpose is, and how patients respond to us. Think of where your favorite brand, band, or celebrity would be today without an accurate and effective identity. I want a patient who is struggling with dysphagia to be able to find our specialty when searching for an expert. I want doctors and nurses to easily refer to us when they need our skillset. And I want to stop spending 20 minutes at parties explaining what I do for a living (remember parties?). 

Why we aren’t speech therapists:

Therapy is such a small part of what we do, and the diagnosticians among us don’t do it at all. We don’t only treat, we manage. We don’t only recommend, we consult. Doctors rely on us to be specialists of the aerodigestive tract so we can provide expertise and guidance on a particular condition and a corresponding plan of care. On that note, I will propose the title, “aerodigestive practitioner.” Yes, it’s a mouthful, but so is explaining what a speech therapist is doing feeding somebody with a scope down their throat. 

But what’s in a name anyway? Well, some argue it’s everything. So let’s start the process of making ours a little more accurate. 

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