Exploring students’ perspectives of choosing speech and language therapy major in Vietnam

Introduction: Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) plays a critical role in supporting individuals with communication and swallowing difficulties. While well-established in developed countries, SLT remains a nascent discipline in Vietnam with low student enrolment. While studies in other contexts have explored motivations for pursuing SLT major, little is known about the determinants influencing students’ choice of SLT in Vietnam. This study explored the determinants influencing students' decision to choose SLT as their undergraduate major in Vietnam. Methods: A phenomenological approach using Focus group discussions (FGDs) was applied with 39 SLT-major students from year 1 to year 3 at University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City (UMP). Students were divided into 5 groups. Data was collected from September 2024 to February 2025. Thematic analysis was conducted. Results: Five thematic domains emerged: Personal - Curriculum fit, Personal - Vocational fit, Personal - Institutional fit, A gateway to new opportunities, Social and familial factors. In the FGDs, students were asked to identify the strongest factor influencing their choice. Of the 39 participants, 26 described factors that aligned with theme “A gateway to new opportunities”. This recurring emphasis supports the interpretation that “A gateway to new opportunities” was the most decisive factor in shaping their decisions. Conclusion: “A gateway to new opportunities” emerged as the most decisive factor, with Social and familial influences shaping other themes. The findings highlight the need for structured career guidance and national strategies to strengthen recruitment, curriculum development, and workforce planning for a sustainable SLT workforce in Vietnam.