Making medical clinical training accessible to all speech-language pathology graduate students
A message from Dr. Ianessa Humbert, Ph.D., SLP, CEO of Swallowing Wellness and STEP Community:
When I was a graduate student in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP), I received little to no medical clinical training—despite requesting it multiple times. Why? Because medical placements are limited in most SLP programs. Universities often struggle to provide balanced access to both educational and medical clinical experiences. As a result, even though all students pay the same tuition, our post-graduate careers can differ significantly based solely on the clinical opportunities we were—or weren’t—given.
The Humbert Swallowing Training Program (HSTP) at Swallowing Wellness was created to address this gap. While we don’t replace graduate externships, our training supplements them. We offer weekend-based courses that are open to any graduate student, starting with one of the least accessible experiences: modified barium swallow studies (MBSS), also known as videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS). The HSTP is committed to expanding access to high-quality, affordable medical clinical training for future SLPs.
Graduate student training at Swallowing Wellness currently includes 3 MBSS courses: Introduction to MBSS, Diagnostics in MBSS, and Therapeutics in MBSS. Each course is tailored for graduate students who may have a limited foundation in swallowing anatomy and physiology and instrumental swallowing assessments and will include:
Access to pre-recorded, online training in foundational swallowing anatomy and physiology from STEP Community prior to and after the in-person course date
Hands-on training in the Fluoroscopy Suite at Swallowing Wellness to simulate real clinical MBS studies
Opportunity to record, observe, and analyze your own swallowing function via MBSS (link to videos available to you after the course)
Real-time, in-person access to swallowing experts to answer your questions
Post-course online activities to encourage retention of the training experience
Small, personal group of up to ~10 trainees
Certificate of completion
Who Should Attend? Graduate students in Speech-Language Pathology programs who have completed (or are currently completing) dysphagia coursework and are preparing for medical placements or clinical fellowships
Courses are 4 hours each and offered during the following weekends in August through December of 2025:
All courses will be held at Swallowing Wellness located at 4641 Montgomery Avenue, Suite 300, Bethesda MD, 20814. Registration is $200 per course. Swallowing Wellness accepts payment plans for all in-person courses to encourage attendance from wider range of trainees. To request a payment plan, please see course details below. Got questions? Email us at info@swallowingwellness.com
Course Details
Introduction to MBSS - $200
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The Introduction to MBSS course for graduate students includes 2 sections:
Foundational principles of swallowing anatomy and physiology. This pre-recorded online material will be accessible to attendees upon registration. We recommend reviewing the online course material (approximately 2 hours in duration) prior to your in-person course date.
In-Person training at Swallowing Wellness with Dr. Humbert. This section will include 4 hours of:
Overview of concepts swallowing A&P viewed with video fluoroscopic imaging
Radiation safety principles
Healthcare professionals roles in conducting MBSS
Hands-on workshop in the Swallowing Wellness fluoroscopy suite, including collecting swallowing images
Understanding, mixing, and using barium contrast
Quiz to assess understanding of the covered course material.
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You may request the dollar amount and payment dates that suit your payment preferences. The full registration cost must be paid by the course start date. To request a payment plan, please click the link below to email your payment details, including US dollar amounts and dates. You will be sent invoices for each respective payment.
Please use this link to email your payment plan request for the Introduction to MBSS course.
Diagnostics in MBSS - $200
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The Diagnostics in MBSS course for graduate students includes 2 sections:
Foundational principles of MBSS A&P differential diagnosis. This pre-recorded online material will be accessible to attendees upon registration. We recommend reviewing the online course material (approximately 2 hours in duration) prior to your in-person course date.
In-Person training at Swallowing Wellness with Dr. Humbert. This section will include 4 hours of:
Analysis of normal and abnormal swallowing as seen on videofluoroscopy
Understanding what can and cannot be observed and tested with videofluoroscopy
Working with common adult patient populations during MBSS
Hands-on workshop in the Swallowing Wellness fluoroscopy suite, including collecting swallowing images
Quiz to assess understanding of the covered course material.
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Registration link:
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You may request the dollar amount and payment dates that suit your payment preferences. The full registration cost must be paid by the course start date. To request a payment plan, please click the link below to email your payment details, including US dollar amounts and dates. You will be sent invoices for each respective payment.
Use this link to email your payment plan request for Diagnostics in MBSS.
Therapeutics in MBSS - $200
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The Therapeutics in MBSS course for graduate students includes 2 sections:
Foundational principles of testing therapeutic strategies during MBSS. This pre-recorded online material will be accessible to attendees upon registration. We recommend reviewing the online course material (approximately 2 hours in duration) prior to your in-person course date.
In-Person training at Swallowing Wellness with Dr. Humbert. This section will include 4 hours of:
Overview of principles and usefulness of testing swallowing therapies with video fluoroscopic imaging
The principles of visual biofeedback and its use during the MBSS
Hands-on workshop in the Swallowing Wellness fluoroscopy suite, including collecting swallowing images
Understanding and interpreting altered swallowing physiology during therapeutic tasks with MBSS
Quiz to assess understanding of the covered course material.
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You may request the dollar amount and payment dates that suit your payment preferences. The full registration cost must be paid by the course start date. To request a payment plan, please click the link below to email your payment details, including US dollar amounts and dates. You will be sent invoices for each respective payment.
Use this link to email your payment plan request for Therapeutics in MBSS