We have registered for our internship during the summer term. If we complete part of all of the internship during the fall term, will we be charged fees for both the summer and the fall terms?
If you do not complete your internship during the Summer 2020 term, we will take steps to ensure that you do not pay fees during the summer and fall terms. The mechanism for ensuring that you don't pay the fees twice might vary across students according to your particular circumstances but we will work with registration/enrollment office to ensure that your total fees for the entirety of your program will be the same as they would have been if we had not experienced the COVID19 crisis.
If we are unable to complete our internship during the summer, are we eligible for the Canada Emergency Student Benefit? (see https://www.mcgill.ca/studentaid/faq/covid-19-faq)
The rules for this program indicate that the student must attest that they intended to work full- or part-time during the summer months. We are not sure whether students in your unique circumstances will be able to make this attestation. Please contact the appropriate government office to inquire. We are happy to provide any required documents to help you make the case if necessary.
Will students remain eligible for the Quebec Intern Perseverance and Success Scholarship if their practicum spills over to fall term? And if it is completed by telepractice?
Any student who is completing their internship in a public, subsidized private or community institution that is located in Quebec will qualify for this scholarship (even if services are delivered via telepractice). Students must apply for the scholarship in the academic year during which they complete most of their stage. Therefore, if more than 50% of your practicum falls after August 31, you will have to apply for the scholarship for the 2020-2021 academic year. You can find more information here: https://www.quebec.ca/en/education/student-financial-assistance/intern-success-scholarship/.
Will the schools across Canada be more flexible about the catchment areas for the placement of interns during this crisis?
The schools are highly motivated to be very flexible in order to help SLP students graduate on time across the country. However, the rules about catchment areas may be imposed by local health authorities and not by the universities and therefore clinical coordinators do not always have flexibility about accepting students from out-of-province schools.
Can we reach out to clinical sites ourselves to arrange a placement for our final internship?
During this time it is more important than ever to not reach out to SLPs or potential placement sites to inquire about internship possibilities or arrange a placement. The situation in the sites and for SLPs is particularly complicated and the arrangements must be made by the Coordinators of Clinical Education. The only exception may be in the case of arranging to complete your final internship at a site where you have been offered a job post-internship. Please talk to Kelly Root if this is a possibility.
Will the scheduling of final internship placements ensure equity with regard to access to the labour market for students in our class?
The faculty has decided to permit the placement of students as soon as a suitable placement for each individual student becomes available with the intention of ensuring that all students graduate before the end of December 2020.
Will the faculty support the students' request to CAASPR to permit licensure without requiring the CETP exam? The cost of the exam is an excessive financial burden for some students in the current financial downturn.
CAASPR has decided to postpone the date of the Entry-to-Practice exam, taking into account the fact that most SLP students will not be ready to take the exam in October 2020. Students are advised to make their own case to CAASPR regarding the cost of the exam. The chairs/directors of SLP programs in Canada are in close communication with CAASPR regarding the timing of the exam. Regarding licensure or certification to practice, these requirements are determined by the provincial licencing bodies and vary from province-to-province. Different accommodations for students who have been impacted by the COVID19 crisis have been adopted by each province in accordance with the variations in licencing requirements and the associated legislation.
Is there a "last date" for accepting an internship placement in order to be finished before the end of December 2020?
If your chosen site does not open up before early to mid-July, an alternative that can be taken up in the summer should be considered. If you're chosen site has not opened up by early July Kelly Root will contact you to discuss alternatives.
Will the policy for people who become ill be reconsidered?
Currently the policy for incomplete practica states: "Students are expected to complete practica at the assigned times. In the event of a medical, family, or personal emergency where they are unable to complete practicum, students should contact their Coordinator of Clinical Education or Clinical Education Associate immediately. An extension may be granted at the discretion of the Coordinators of Clinical Education and the Program Director. The reason for the extension request, availability of supervision, skills acquired by the student, and amount of practicum completed will be taken into account when considering granting an extension." Given the higher possibility of illness during the COVID19 crisis we are prepared to be flexible when considering the need for extensions in the case of illness for these final internships.
Will all the students be convocated at the same time?
It is possible that some students will complete their final internship before August 31, 2020 in which case they will be able to convocate in the fall. Those students who finish their final internship after August 31 will convocate in Spring 2021. We would like to discuss with the students a special event for this class to occur at or around the date of Spring Convocation 2021.
Can I work before I have convocated?
Yes. As soon as you have finished your internships along with all the academic and practicum requirements for our program Kelly Root will provide you with a letter that will permit you to work according to the specific provisional or permanent licensure requirements in the province where you intend to take up employment.
