SLP graduate students need 400 supervised clock hours for ASHA certification, 25 of observation and 375 of direct client contact, across on-campus clinics and external placements in hospitals, schools and rehab settings.
Speech-Language Pathology programs are accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of ASHA. Your clinical sites and affiliation agreements decide the exact list, so treat this as a starting point, not a substitute for your own standards.
What SLP students usually need before clinical practicum
- Immunizations. CDC recommends hepatitis B, MMR, varicella, Tdap and annual influenza vaccination for healthcare personnel, proven by records or titers. (source) See titer testing explained.
- TB screening. CDC recommends baseline screening for all healthcare personnel and no routine annual testing without an exposure, but many clinical sites still set their own schedule. (source) See TB testing requirements.
- CPR / BLS certification, tracked to its expiration so a lapse is caught before a rotation, not during it.
- Background check, often with healthcare sanctions screening for hospital placements. See student background checks.
- Drug screen, usually a 10-panel urine screen (ours includes oxycodone) before the first placement.
- N95 fit testing where a site requires respirators. Students aren't employees under OSHA, so the requirement comes from the site; when it applies, OSHA's standard calls for a fit test before first use and at least annually. (source) See N95 fit testing.
What's specific to Speech-Language Pathology programs
- External placement agreements. CAA Standard 3.9B requires valid agreements with every external placement, and Standard 3.8B requires that students practice universal precautions. (source)
- 400 clock hours. ASHA certification requires 400 supervised clock hours: 25 hours of guided observation and 375 hours of direct client contact. (source)
CAA-accredited and candidate programs are at 339 institutions, audiology and SLP combined, as of July 2026. (source)
How Drug Free Schools handles it
- One portal, your requirement list. Set how each item renews: flu by season, CPR through the end of the printed month, Tdap every ten years. Add another way to meet a requirement, or a declination pathway.
- Every upload reviewed within 24 hours. If something is wrong, the student sees the exact reason and what to upload instead.
- Upload guides for every requirement: an example of the right document, the common reasons for rejection, and a blank form to download.
- Deadlines and reminders by email and text, and a dashboard that shows anyone not cleared for an upcoming rotation.
- Clinical sites built in. Track affiliation agreements, assign students to rotations, log clinical hours, and block anyone who isn't cleared from being placed. Send a site exactly the records it needs through a secure link with an access code that expires in 30 days.
For SLP: Track affiliation agreements for every external placement, and send each site only the records it needs through a secure link.
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Frequently asked questions
What do SLP students need before clinical practicum?
Most sites ask for the immunizations CDC recommends for healthcare personnel (hepatitis B, MMR, varicella, Tdap and annual flu), TB screening, CPR, a background check and a drug screen, plus N95 fit testing where respirators are used. Speech-Language Pathology programs also document the items their accreditor names; the exact list comes from your clinical sites and affiliation agreements.
Do school-based placements need the same clearances as hospitals?
Each site sets its own requirements. Track them per placement in the portal, and order background checks and drug screens there when a site asks for them.
How much does the compliance portal cost?
$30 per student, one time for the whole program, not a yearly fee. Administrator and faculty accounts are free, and the school can pay instead of the student.
Can one portal cover all of our health science programs?
Yes. Each program gets its own requirement list and renewal rules, while the school has one portal and one support line, 7 days a week by phone, text or email, for students and school staff.
Sources
- CDC/ACIP: Immunization of Health-Care Personnel
- CDC: TB screening of health care personnel, 2019
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134, respiratory protection
- OSHA interpretation letter on students, 1999
- Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of ASHA
- External placement agreements
- 400 clock hours
- Program count
This page summarizes public accreditor, CDC and OSHA documents as of September 2026. Requirements vary by school, clinical site and state; confirm against your current standards and affiliation agreements. Quest Diagnostics is a trademark of its owner.