So recently the Dept. of Education proposed a “reclassification” of professions in order to pursue a sizeable reduction in federal loan payouts and debt forgiveness in higher education. That’s a whole bunch of word salad to say we don’t think your pursuit of this profession qualifies for a plus loan and frankly you should find a cheaper place to get your degree. While I do not disagree with the concept of reining in costs—both federally and personally for an advanced degree, I do think the narrative got away from those making the proposal and it kicked off a virtual shit storm. Basically the decision-makers just told America that the only professions that deserve access to higher loan limits are doctors, dentists, pharmacists, and clinical psychologists. Hmm, not the smartest move ever made by the DOE. I could exit this speech and go off on a tangent about the number of females in the excluded “professions” and the intentional or unintentional pushing of women out of the workforce, but that’s for another blog—don’t think I’m not thinking about it!

For some context…

A quick AI/Google search on my phone (don’t worry I fact checked it—so it wasn’t quick), summarizes the criteria for a “professional degree” in the proposed definition as follows:

• Practice-oriented: The program must be the academic requirement to begin professional practice.
• Doctoral level: It is generally a doctoral-level degree requiring at least six years of postsecondary education.
• Professional licensure: The degree is typically one that requires professional licensure to practice.
• Exclusions: Under the proposal, certain health professions like nursing, and other fields like social work, public health, and audiology, SLP, OT, PT would be excluded from the professional designation.

For your information dear Dept of Ed and people at large who are still reading my post…

1. I do have to have an advanced academic program to practice my profession as well as a clinical practicum and a passing score on the Praxis exam.

2. I do not require six years for a MA/MS degree in speech-language pathology. It was a six semester program plus a supervised nine month clinical fellowship. So just under three years. This is the minimum requirement for clinical practice. PhDs do exist and are always encouraged.

3. I am required by law to be licensed in the state in which I practice in order to maintain or work in a private practice or outpatient clinic, hospital, rehab, or skilled nursing facility. I cannot bill medicare, medicaid, and insurance for services without a license. This licensure requires me to complete a master’s level program, complete the 9 month fellowship for clinical practice, be awarded my certificate of clinical competence, complete ten hours of continuing education every year thereafter, and remain in good standing with my national board who recertifies my clinical competence every three years.

Perhaps the Dept of Ed needs to revise their defining criteria for a profession?

Professional educations cost money. They cannot be completed on a part-time basis easily, if at all. If students are not working (and even if they are) then almost all will require full access to student loans to live and pay tuition. It is a catch-22 of epic proportions. Powers that be, if your true concern is cost to the government for loan amounts that cover tuition and cost of living, then your beef is with tuition levels at for-profit institutions, university funding, grants, and our country’s inflation—not with the student.

Now for my sarcastic rebuttal:
Maybe RFK got mad that an SLP told him he has a voice disorder somewhere along the line? Not to mention maybe someone pointed out that he obviously does not understand how to read a research article or follow a science experiment. Or maybe the President got mad at a professional calling him out on his obvious social and pragmatic issues. Maybe Ms. McMahon is disappointed to learn that the nation’s education system is harder to direct than the WWE. Making decisions as a trustee at Sacred Heart pales in comparison to a cabinet position. Regardless of the lack of forthought or care in which this administration announces decisions, I say to the yahoos calling the shots:

Please don’t call me or my collegues when you have a stroke and need cognitive rehab or swallowing therapy—I, as an SLP, will no longer be considered a professional. And don’t call my OT friends when you need to learn how to complete your daily living activities (like feeding and dressing yourself to name a few)—they won’t be professionals either. Or if you lose your hearing, don’t call the audiologist for hearing aids, aural rehab, or cochlear implants—they won’t be considered masters of their craft, even though these days you must have a doctorate of audiology (AuD) as MA/MS programs phased out over the last two decades. The same applies for physical therapists who now require a doctorate (DPT) for independent practice. Hope you don’t need to relearn how to walk. And tell your family they are on their own with their grief and navigating the medical and medicare establishment while trying to get necessary healthcare—MSWs and counselors will no longer be considered professionals. And forget about hiring a RN for any form of medical care, medical management, establishing a plan of care, or hospice provider in any setting from public health to the doctor’s office to the hospital—they won’t be considered professionals anymore. And don’t blame school-based SLPs or their fellow teachers, when your grandchildren and great-grandchildren can’t read, write, or balance a checkbook because they could not receive the support needed to access the education curriculum effectively through an alternate learning style. And if you have a child in your family with a disability, disorder, or other challenge that requires in-school or private therapy to overcome it and manage it, you and your classroom teacher are on your own. Good luck.

Sarcasm over.

For real though, friends, there is a time and place for “suck it up buttercup” and there is a time and place for “let me help you recover, relearn, renew, habilitate, overcome, and access life.” It takes a professional to know the difference.

Does the DOE really want to die on this hill when our population is aging and our birth rate is plummeting and our cost of living continues to skyrocket? I can only hope for spirited debate, clear thinking, and alternative proposals to the higher education loan crisis before the July 2026 deadline.

And DOE, fix the optics, your lack of rational, educated decision-making is insulting to all professionals everywhere.

Love y’all,

Marla