Advanced Speech Pathologist - Voice and Upper Airway Fellow

Job Description

The Lions Voice Clinic in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Minnesota - M Health Fairview is pleased to announce an opening for our 2025-2026 Advanced Voice and Upper Airway (VUA) Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Fellowship.

This 12-month position is designed for a speech-language pathologist who has completed their clinical fellowship, has a certificate of clinical competency from ASHA, and is eligible for a Minnesota state license. It provides the opportunity to participate in a clinical practice focusing on the evaluation and treatment of Voice and Upper Airway issues and disorders. The fellowship offers training and mentorship in a supportive environment to foster the growth of clinicians seeking advanced knowledge and skill to become competitive and advanced in the field of in the area of voice and upper airway.

The Lions Voice Clinicis a well-established multi-disciplinary team including fellowship-trained laryngologists and voice-specialized speech-language pathologists, who regularly collaborate with a team of dysphagia-specialized speech-language pathologists. It is located in the heart of Minneapolis, a major metropolitan area with a vibrant performing arts community.

Voice and Upper Airway Clinical Fellowship Training and Education

The Voice and Upper Airway Clinical Fellowship experience focuses on the development of competencies in the assessment and treatment of all aspects of VUA care. The clinic regularly provides care for voice disorders, including:

• Professional voice
• Structural/ organic changes
• Neurogenic disorders
• Gender/identity-affirming voice care
• Upper airway disorders, including exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction, irritable larynx syndrome, and subglottic stenosis
• Regular interaction with patients who have a wide variety of dysphagia diagnoses

As an active member of the multidisciplinary outpatient team, the fellow will develop the following skills relevant to working with patients with VUA problems:

• Comprehensive clinical assessment and interviewing
• Physical examination, including flexible and rigid laryngeal stroboscopy, and acoustic and aerodynamic measurement of voice
• Individualized treatment planning for voice and respiratory retraining therapy
• Self-evaluation resulting in active steps to develop new skills and acquire knowledge.
• Provide patient-centered medical care to prevent, diagnose, and treat a wide variety of complex voice and upper airway issues.

The fellow will also be expected to develop competencies in instrumental assessment of voice and upper airway disorders. Diagnostic skills are further enhanced through bi-monthly Case Conferences, monthly Journal Clubs, and weekly Swallow Rounds, where the fellow will present cases and discuss relevant considerations with the team. The fellow will also work closely with laryngologists and voice specialty speech-language pathologists to improve their understanding of the role of therapy, perioperative care of the singing and speaking voice, and upper-airway issues.

Fellows will regularly perform office-based assessments, including videostrobolaryngoscopy and acoustic and aerodynamic testing, in addition to developing experience in the clinical/ perceptual assessment of upper aerodigestive disorders. The fellow will gradually increase their responsibilities to provide compassionate and culturally responsive in-person and telehealth therapy services to a wide variety of voice and upper airway patients and clients.

Following completion of the Lions Voice Clinic Voice and Upper Airway Clinical Fellowship, the clinical fellow will:

• Have a comprehensive knowledge of VUA disorders, including professional speaking & singing voice.
• Be able to perform the full array of perceptual, acoustic, and aerodynamic assessments of voice & upper airway disorders.
• Become skilled in behavioral and perioperative treatment planning and implementation for a wide variety of people seeking care with VUA concerns.
• Be skilled and culturally responsive in the assessment and treatment of clients with gender/identity-affirming voice care needs.
• Have met all requirements to complete the ASHA Clinical Fellowship Year and apply for the Certificate of Clinical Competence.

Fellowship Timeline

This fellowship is a twelve-month, full-time, paid position at the Lions Voice Clinic at the University of Minnesota - M Health Fairview.

Fellowship Dates

12 months from date of hire.

Minimum Qualifications

• Completion of an accredited graduate program in communication sciences and disorders, which included a course in voice disorders.
• Successful completion of a voice disorders course and excellent academic performance.
• Experience in the evaluation and treatment of voice and upper airway concerns during graduate clinical practicum placements and/or initial clinical fellowship.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Certificate of clinical competency from ASHA
• Eligible for full licensure with the Minnesota Department of Health

Advanced Qualifications

• Exposure to, or experience with gender/identity-affirming care
• Personal experience as a professional voice speaker/ singer

Required documents for application include:

• Cover letter (no more than 1 page) related to your:
• Experience and interest in voice and upper airway care
• How you envision this fellowship helping you achieve your career goals
• What it means to be a culturally responsive clinician, and your approach tocaring for someone whose life experience is very different from yours
• Curriculum Vitae/Resume
• Master's level transcript (unofficial is acceptable)
• Two letters of recommendation and contact information from individuals willing to act as references, at least one of which must be from a clinical supervisor. An optional third letter of recommendation & contact information may also be provided.

The clinical fellow must have work authorization that allows them to legally train at the Lions Voice Clinic at the University of Minnesota - M Health Fairview as of the start date for this position. The program is unable to provide visa sponsorship for clinical fellows.

MN Voice (The Minnesota Voice Colloquium)

MN Voice is a bi-monthly virtual webinar that highlights topics related to a variety of voice and upper airway topics and is attended by both academic and community-based speech pathologists and students. This group has grown to include lecturers and attendees from across the country. The clinical fellow will be required to present at one of the meetings during their advanced clinical fellowship year.

What We Offer

We're proud to offer competitive compensation and a market-leading benefits package to support our employees and their families.

• Your total compensation is further enhanced by a robust benefits package that supports your physical, mental, and financial well-being. Highlights include:
• Comprehensive medical and dental insurance including a vision discount plan.
• Substantial 401K employer contribution
• Generous flexible time off
• Well-being program including an annual spending allotment, peer coaching, counseling, and concierge services.
• Allowance for CE, license, board certification, and DEA fees.
• Disability, accident, life, and malpractice insurance.
• As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, we are a qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Compensation:

At M Physicians we believe in pay transparency and equity. The compensation for each position is based on experience, skills, qualifications, and other role-specific considerations. Our total compensation is designed to support your well-being, career growth, and work-life balance.

University of Minnesota Physicians (M Physicians), a non-profit organization headquartered in Minneapolis, seeks motivated individuals for both clinical and non-clinical roles to drive innovation in health and medicine. Our inclusive culture offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and the opportunity for career development in the exciting field of health care to over 1,200 physicians, 300 advanced practice providers, and 2,200 health professionals and staff across Minnesota and beyond.

Join us on a mission to advance medicine.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.