SAC is pleased to recognize Viphop Pech, a Carleton University Health Science student intern, for his poster presentation at the Carleton University Health Sciences Fair on April 9, 2026.
Viphop presented Navigating AI: Perceptions, Adoption, and Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Canadian Communication Health Practice, a project developed during his internship with SAC. The poster summarized findings from a national survey of 460 Canadian communication health professionals, examining the adoption of artificial intelligence in speech-language pathology and audiology.

The research showed rapid uptake of AI tools, particularly for administrative tasks and cognitive offloading, such as generating therapy materials and documenting. At the same time, respondents expressed low levels of trust in AI, citing concerns related to data privacy, accuracy, bias, hallucinations, and the potential impact on person-centred care.

Viphop’s poster emphasized a growing gap between familiarity with AI technologies and confidence in their safe and appropriate use. The poster highlighted the need for clearer guidance, regulatory frameworks, and professional support around AI and AI use. The presentation generated thoughtful discussion among students and faculty about the future role of AI in healthcare and the responsibilities of professional organizations in supporting ethical integration.

SAC congratulates Viphop Pech on this successful presentation and thanks Carleton University for providing a platform to showcase student research that addresses emerging issues in communication health practice.

This article originally appeared in the Government of Saskatchewan website on March 20, 2024.

In 2024-25, the Government of Saskatchewan is investing $793 million in the province’s post-secondary sector, representing a 3.7 per cent increase from the previous year. This year’s budget provides for increased funding within the multi-year agreement, health training programs and seat expansions, and capital for key infrastructure projects.

“Our government is focused on ensuring that sustainable funding, programs and opportunities are in place for Saskatchewan’s post-secondary students,” Advanced Education Minister Gordon Wyant said. “This will deliver a future workforce that is responsive to the needs of our rapidly growing province and economy.”

Saskatchewan is providing a one-time, $12.0 million increase to its current multi-year funding agreement with post-secondary institutions, representing a 2.2 per cent increase in operating funding. This increase will help institutions remain responsive to the needs of students, communities and the labour market. The 2024-25 Budget represents the fourth and final year of this historic multi-year funding agreement and sets the foundation for negotiating a new agreement.

The Ministry of Advanced Education continues to expand health training programs in support of Saskatchewan’s Health Human Resources Action Plan. This budget includes $3.5 million in new funding to create 66 additional training seats in programs for Registered Nurses, Registered Psychiatric Nurses and other hard to recruit health care professions.

A further $7.9 million will support continued implementation of the significant seat expansions in high demand health training programs announced previously. Some programs include Licensed Practical Nursing, Medical Laboratory Assistant, Continuing Care Assistant, Primary Care Paramedic, Pharmacy Technician, Clinical Psychologist, Physical Therapist, and Mental Health and Addictions Counsellor. This budget also supports the continued expansion of eight Undergraduate Medical Education seats, providing $1.4 million toward training future physicians in the province.

In addition, government is providing funding to develop new opportunities for students to train in health sciences programs in Saskatchewan. Approximately $11.4 million will be invested to create Saskatchewan-based Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology, Respiratory Therapy and Physician Assistant programs.

More than $19.8 million in operating grants directly supports Indigenous post-secondary education, including targeted funding to increase Indigenous student recruitment, retention, engagement and achievement. Indigenous Language Teacher Education Programs and Indigenous language scholarships are also receiving funding to support the preservation and revitalization of Indigenous languages in the province.

Saskatchewan students will see new supports for their post-secondary education. Students will benefit directly from $46.5 million in financial supports, including a new grant for low-income students with dependents under age 12 (or over 12 with a permanent disability). Other key student supports include $34.4 million for the Student Aid Fund, which provides repayable and non-repayable financial assistance to more than 22,000 students each year; and $12.2 million for scholarships and bursaries.

Students will continue to receive benefits after their studies through the Graduate Retention Program, which provides up to $20,000 in tax credits to post-secondary graduates who live and work in Saskatchewan. To date, more than 81,600 graduates have benefited from this program.

Saskatchewan’s post-secondary institutions will receive approximately $724.0 million in operating and capital grants, including:

• $492.7 million to the University of Saskatchewan, University of Regina and federated and affiliated colleges;
• $193.8 million to Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, and Gabriel Dumont Institute/Dumont Technical Institute; and
• $37.1 million to Saskatchewan’s regional colleges.

Key capital investments include:

• $610,000 for the Student Health Centre Expansion at the University of Regina;
• $8.7 million for electrical and mechanical upgrades at the University of Saskatchewan;
• $7.8 million to support implementation of three new domestic programs at the University of Saskatchewan: Physician Assistant, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Language Pathology;
• $6.3 million for cooling tower replacement at the University of Regina;
• $6.0 million toward Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Saskatoon Campus Renewal project; and
• $2.6 million for continued and new expansions in health human resource programs.

In total, Saskatchewan has invested approximately $14.4 billion in post-secondary institutions and student supports since 2007.

SAC is pleased that the Saskatchewan Provincial Government recognizes the need for additional post-secondary seats, but we continue to advocate for an in-province S-LP and audiology program.

This article originally appeared on the Saskatchewan website on August 3, 2023.

The Government of Saskatchewan continues to incentivize health care training opportunities for Saskatchewan students and graduates as a main pillar of the four-point Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan.

The 2023-24 academic year will increase access to educational opportunities for students interested in a healthcare career by providing approximately 550 new training seats in 18 high-demand health occupations, an expansion announced earlier this year. This initiative builds upon the addition of 150 nursing seats announced in 2022.

“Saskatchewan is a great place to train and build a career in health care,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said. “As we prepare for the upcoming school year, our government continues to prioritize enhancing opportunities to train more healthcare professionals here at home and help them succeed.”

New training opportunities are being offered to Indigenous students including a Phlebotomy (blood collection) Program and an Indigenous Birth Support Worker Program now available at Gabriel Dumont Institute. Further, the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies is offering more seats in 2023 for the Health Care Aid Program in Prince Albert.

The College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan recently announced expanding the upcoming fall 2023 intake of medical students to the undergraduate program by four seats. This will increase the total number of seats from 100 to 104, with further plans to reach 108 seats next year.

Financial supports are available to domestic students and graduates pursuing a career in health care, including forgivable loans, bursaries and recruitment incentives to stay in Saskatchewan following graduation.

The Final Clinical Placement Bursary program available to students in eligible health disciplines has seen a high uptake, with 100 bursaries approved since April. Applications are open until September 30, 2023.

Training bursaries were recently announced for students and new graduates of paramedic programs who commit to joining Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Saskatchewan.

Additional educational opportunities include seats secured through interprovincial training agreements. Saskatchewan students will be able to access 15 seats at the University of Alberta in the Speech-Language Pathology program and four seats secured at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in the Environmental Public Health program.

Work is ongoing on multiple initiatives of Saskatchewan’s HHR Action Plan to recruit, train, incentivize and retain more healthcare workers with progress being made in key areas.

HHR Progress Update Highlights

• The Saskatchewan Health Authority has had great success connecting with nursing students and recent graduates to promote employment opportunities. Since December 2022, the SHA has hired more than 560 new graduates from the province and across Canada.
• Almost 170 positions are now filled of the 250 new and enhanced permanent full-time positions targeted to stabilize staffing in rural and remote areas of the province.
• The Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive of up to $50,000 available to new employees in nine high-priority classifications in 53 rural and remote areas continues to see much interest, with nearly 140 incentives conditionally approved to date.
• In late August, Saskatchewan will begin implementing an accelerated, streamlined pathway for internationally-educated nurses that shortens licensure timeframes from months to 14 weeks.
• Nurse recruits from abroad will be supported through the process, from recruitment to their work placements and settlement in a new community.
• The first 10 of the 400 Registered Nurses (RNs) with conditional offers from the Philippines arrived in Saskatchewan in July and are participating in clinical training. Once clinical training is complete these RNs will be eligible for licensure and ready to begin working in Saskatchewan’s health system.
• Nineteen Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) and two Medical Laboratory Assistants (MLAs) from the Philippines arrived earlier in 2023 and are working in communities across the province, particularly rural and remote locations.

Details on health care opportunities, how to access them and more information on the province’s HHR Action Plan are available at saskatchewan.ca/HHR.

SAC is proud to award 28 scholarships to the following student associates as part of the 2021-2022 SAC Scholarship Program:

Read the SAC Scholarship Program 2021-2022 Impact Report

Elks & Royal Purple Fund for Children Deborah Kully Scholarship

	Maya Aharon is currently completing her final year of the Speech-Language Pathology program at the University of Toronto. Maya is interested in working with individuals with neurogenic disorders, such as aphasia, and supporting the use of augmentative and alternative modes of communication. In addition to her studies, Maya is a research volunteer in the Bilingual and Multilingual Development Lab at the University of Toronto and serves as co-president of her class.
	Meghan is a second year speech-language pathology student at the University of Alberta. She hopes to pursue a career in dysphagia management in an acute care setting. She previously served as the Chair of the Professional Development Committee for the Organization of Alberta Students in Speech (OASIS) at U of A and is a member of the Education Committee for Speech-Language and Audiology Canada.
	Brianna is completing her second year as a MHSc. Speech-Language Pathology candidate studying at the University of Toronto. After finishing the program, she hopes to work in the rehabilitation setting with a particular interest in brain injury. With gratitude, she looks forward to using her scholarship to help fund educational opportunities that will support her future clinical career.
	Lauren is a second-year audiology student at the UBC School of Audiology and Speech Sciences. She has volunteered with Alberta Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House of Southern Alberta, and the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. Upon completion of her Master of Science degree in Spring 2022, she hopes to start working with children and families as a pediatric audiologist.
	Jaime’s passion lies in helping children gain confidence as they learn and grow, something she emphasizes as a tutor. She is excited to begin working as an S-LP, focusing on children and adult dysphagia patients.
	Quince Scholberg is a second-year speech-language pathology student at the University of British Columbia. After graduation, she intends to work with school-aged children who have developmental differences. Quince’s long-term goal is to help foster inclusion while working as a school-based S-LP in British Columbia.
	Sophia is from Montreal, Quebec, and she is currently completing her Masters of Health Science in Speech-Language Pathology (S-LP) at the University of Toronto. She is currently finishing her second placement at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute with Acquired Brain Injury patients. After graduation, Sophia intends to return to Montreal and begin her practice as an SLP.
	Nick Grundmann is a second-year audiology student at the UBC School of Audiology and Speech Sciences. After graduation in 2022, he is hoping to work with adults in a diagnostic and dispensing clinic. He also wishes to expand his clinical knowledge into vestibular evaluations and CAPD assessments.
	Alia is a second-year graduate student at the University of Toronto. Following her graduation, she intends to practice in pediatric fluency disorders. She is motivated by her experience at her first clinical internship through the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research, which is an Elks of Canada funded facility.
	Laura Tulk is a second-year Speech-Language Pathology graduate student at the University of Toronto. Laura’s goal is to work with adult and geriatric populations in acute care. She also has an interest in fluency disorders and is involved with a stuttering research group: The NL Stuttering Association Collaborative. Laura hopes to practice in her home province of Newfoundland and Labrador after graduation.
	Brooke Harris is an Audiology student in her second year of studies at Western University. Upon completion of her degree this summer, she is looking forward to pursuing a career as an audiologist. She is very excited about the prospect of supporting individuals with hearing and communication challenges throughout her future career.
	Caroline Whiting is a second-year student in the Speech-Language Pathology program at McMaster University. She has a particular interest in working with individuals with acquired brain injuries to help them achieve their communication goals. Caroline hopes to combine her clinical work with involvement in research in the future.

KIDSPEECH™ Leadership Scholarship

	Ala is completing her second-year at the University of Toronto. She is the recipient of an Ontario Graduate Scholarship and received the University of Toronto’s Margaret Stoicheff Spirit Award. Ala has a passion for fostering a safe and inclusive environment for people of colour and bilingual clients/family members in the rehabilitation field. This inspired her to create an account that translates S-LP related information in different languages with a group of incredible volunteers (instagram: @SLPPOC).
	Courtnee Adacsi is an interactive speech-language pathologist and lifelong learner who is on an educational leave to obtain her Master of Arts in Early Intervention in Deaf Education degree from Fontbonne University in St. Louis, Missouri.
	Angela is a PhD student at the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at McGill University. she began her professional career working with Autistic preschoolers in the Nova Scotia Early Intensive Behavioural Program. Since then, she has occupied several positions in both the public and private sector working with people on the Autism Spectrum and individuals with developmental disabilities.

Beach Family Placement Support Scholarship

	Larissa is a graduate student pursuing her Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of British Columbia. She graduated from Simon Fraser University first class with distinction with a BA in Cognitive Science and Linguistics. She is writing a thesis concerning statistical learning in speech perception, alongside completing her courses and clinical requirements to earn her degree. Afterwards, she intends to work with individuals with aphasia in a rehab or community care setting.
	Matt is a second year graduate student in Speech-Language Pathology at McGill University. His love for music and reading sparked his interest in S-LP and he hopes to practice in paediatric literacy as well voice therapy upon graduation. Matthew will start a 3-month acute care placement at St.Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg this summer.
	Megan Van Gorp is graduating Audiology in the M.Cl.Sc. program at Western University’s School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. She believes that equal access to audiological services, regardless of geography, ethnicity, and/or socioeconomic status are imperative in optimizing communicative health outcomes across Canada. Her lived experiences with rural-induced inaccessibility to healthcare services have inspired her to launch her career providing care to underserviced children and youth in rural Southwestern Ontario.

SAC Scholarships

	Michelle Jones is in her final year of the Speech-Language Pathology master’s program at UBC School of Audiology and Speech Sciences. After graduation, she plans to work in a paediatric setting on Vancouver Island alongside other clinicians to improve the lives of those in the community.
	Melissa is completing her PhD at the University of Toronto, while also working as a pediatric audiologist at SickKids. After she completes her doctoral degree, she hopes to return to education as a professor, and to the clinical setting as a clinician-scientist, to expand the education and research in the field of pediatric vestibular audiology.
	Alison Quiring is in her 2nd and final year at the University of British Columbia’s School of Audiology and Speech Sciences studying Speech-Language Pathology. Prior to attending UBC, Alison was volunteering as a teacher at a children’s home in Zimbabwe, Africa. She hopes to, one day, take her passion for travel and intercultural work and develop basic training programs about communication strategies that can be used in settings where there is limited or no access to S-LP services.
	Gavina is currently in her second year in the Speech-Language Pathology program at the UBC School of Audiology and Speech Sciences. Upon graduation, she hopes to work with paediatric population.
	Talia is in her second and final year of the MSc Speech-Language Pathology program at the University of Alberta. After graduation, Talia would love to work with the pediatric population, particularly with preschool-aged children. She is currently part of the RMSA and help other rehabilitation medicine students at the university plan and promote events and help foster interdisciplinary opportunities amongst students.
	Claire (Lei) Wu is a Master of Clinical Science (MClSc) candidate in Audiology at Western University. She grew up in Langley, British Columbia and volunteers with the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association  (CHHA-BC) and Self-Management BC. This year, Claire serves as one of the three co-chairs who are responsible for organizing the annual Theory-to-Therapy Graduate Student Conference for 2022. As she graduates this summer, she hopes to pursue diagnostic and rehabilitation-based clinical practice in British Columbia while specializing in vestibular audiology.
	Megan Van Gorp is graduating Audiology in the M.Cl.Sc. program at Western University’s School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. She believes that equal access to audiological services, regardless of geography, ethnicity, and/or socioeconomic status are imperative in optimizing communicative health outcomes across Canada. Her lived experiences with rural-induced inaccessibility to healthcare services have inspired her to launch her career providing care to underserviced children and youth in rural Southwestern Ontario.
	Ninell Sygal is a MHSc candidate currently completing her studies in the program of speech-language pathology at the University of Ottawa. She strongly believes that the best clinicians are those who have a research background, as this will allow them one day to integrate the latest advances into their clinical practice. She is currently working on several projects exploring different topics in the field of speech-language pathology and its relation to the field of audiology.
	Julie Kathleen was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta. In 2020, she moved to Limerick, Ireland to start a two-year Masters of Science in Speech and Language Therapy at the University of Limerick. Throughout this degree, she has been actively involved in class activities and has been the Class Representative for two years. She is currently completing a research project which is investigating what is known about parent experience of parent-mediated interventions for children with developmental disabilities delivered via telehealth.

Communication Health Assistant Scholarship

Sankavi’s interest in the field of communication disorders was ignited in high school when she started working as a special need’s educational assistant with the Toronto District School Board.  In 2019, she started volunteering at the Aphasia Institute where she had the opportunity the facilitate group conversations with individuals who were diagnosed with aphasia.  Her experience has made her a strong advocate for patient needs, and she looks forward to working directly with patients and aiding in their recovery.

To learn more about the 2021-2022 recipients, read the SAC Scholarship Program 2021-2022 Impact Report