Audiology Week 1

what are some facts/statistics about hearing loss

around 3 in every 1000 babies are born with hearing loss

around 50 million adults in America (15% of the population) have reported some trouble hearing

men are almost twice as likely to have hearing loss for adults aged 20-69

hearing aids can improve psychological and emotional well-being, as well as help offset cognitive decline caused by hearing loss

of people aged 20-69 that could benefit from hearing aids, only 16% use them

>90% of children with hearing loss are born to normal-hearing parents

people will usually wait 7-10 years to get hearing aids even when they could benefit from them

what is prevalence

the proportion of a population that has a specific condition

what is the strongest predictor for hearing loss

age

old people are more likely to have hearing loss

what is an audiologist

healthcare professionals who identify, assess, and manage disorders of hearing, balance, and other neural systems

primary healthcare providers for hearing and balance disorders in people of all ages from newborn infants to the elderly

what are professions similar to audiology

audiology assistant

otolaryngologist: ENT

hearing instrument specialist

hearing scientist

what is an audiology assistant

works under the supervision of a licensed audiologist

requires at least a high school diploma or GED, bachelor’s encouraged

duties may include scheduling/greeting patients, checking and cleaning equipment, minor troubleshooting on devices, assisting with pediatric appointments, stocking/mailing devices, appointment prep

can be accredited by ASHA, will receive a C-AA

what are the options for becoming an audiology assistant

bachelors in SLHS, 500 hours of supervised fieldwork

non-SLHS degree or high school diploma, 1000 hours of supervised fieldwork

military audiology/ENT certificate

complete prerequisite courses and pass national certification exam

what is an otorhinolaryngologist, otologist, or otolaryngologist

also known as ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctors

those that specialize in the ear are called otologist

these are physicians (medical doctors) with a degree that is either MD or DO, they went to med school and completed around a 5-year residency program

diagnose and treat diseases and disorders of the ear, ear infections, neural disorders, and perform surgeries and prescribe medications

make around $450,000

what is a hearing instrument specialist

hearing instrument specialists (HIS) or hearing aid dispensers

specialists trained to perform hearing tests, and select, fit, program, and maintain hearing aids

specialized in hearing aids

requires a high school diploma and 3-6 month training program, credentials will be HIS

must pass a state board exam and obtain licensure

starting salary around $60,000

what is a hearing scientist

hearing scientists are researchers that study all things related to the ear/hearing

will almost always have a PhD (research degree)

have specialized training in a specific area

often come from a wide variety of backgrounds (bio, engineering, physics, neuroscience, etc.)

often work in academic setting, but can also work in industry jobs

what is an audiologist

clinicians that specialized in all things hearing related as well as balance disorders

degree in AuD (doctor of audiology)

can have varying areas of specialty including pediatrics, adults, hearing aids, vestibular (balance), electrophysiology, diagnostics, aural rehab

can work in a variety of medical, academic, or industry settings

what is the history of audiology

prior to WWll, hearing care was performed by physicians and commercial hearing aid dealers

audiology started in the mid 1940s as a result of soldiers returning from WWll (didn’t really use hearing protection at that time)

audiology emerged from the medical pprofessions of otology and speech-language pathology to identify and treat hearing problems

initially started as military-only, but was so successful that is transferred over to civilians as well

what are the educational requirements for AuD

bachelor’s degree often in SLHS (but not always- can come from other majors, post-baccalaureate)

grad school applications: letters of recommendation, personal statement

GRE (graduate records exam) may be outdated but some schools still require it

admission into a clinical doctorate of audiology program (3 or 4 year program, coursework plus clinical/patient training, last year is typically an externship)

praxis exam

what are most audiologist

most audiologists are generalists and they can do it all

but there are different subspecialities of audiology

what is medical audiology

most common

full range of diagnostic testing for newborns up to elderly

work closely with physicians, SLPs, and PTs

what is pediatric audiology

working with children, newborns and up

diagnosis and habilitation

what is habilitation

not rehabilitating cause, they didn’t have anything to start with

what is educational audiology

school setting

often serve wide area

work closely with SLPs

what is industrial audiology

assess noise levels in the workplace

make recommendations for hearing protection

what is manufacturer audiology

product specialist for hearing aid or cochlear implant company

sales representative

probably the best paying aspect of audiology

what are employment settings of audiology

community hospitals

ENT clinics

private practice

schools

manufacturers

veterans affairs (VA)

military programs

colleges and universities

what are the percentages of employment settings

hospitals- 23%

ENT practices- 20%

private practice- 19%

private clinics- 11%

school- 6%

manufacturers- 5%

VA hospital- 4%

university- 4%

other- 8%

what are the professional organizations

ASHA- American speech-language-hearing association

American Academy of Audiology

what is licensure and certification

how competency in the field is demonstrated and maintained

to practice professionally you must get state licensure

ASHA certificate of clincial competence (CCC); CCC-A

continuing education units (CEUs)

what is the career trajectory for audiology

earn a Bachelor’s degree in SLHS or closely related field

attend graduate school 3-4 years at an accredited program

complete your clinical externship (1 year), pass PRAXIS, obtain state licensure and certifications (if necessary)

get your first job, stating salary usually around $75,000. Median salary= $88,000

average salary range: $60k - $130k

what does a day in the life of an audiologist look like

take case histories

determine what testing/assessment needs done

complete diagnostic testing for hearing, speech understanding, middle ear function, balance, etc.

analyze results and choose what treatment option is best: hearing aids, cochlear implant, vestibular rehab

counsel patients using culturally appropriate technique and language

complete documentation of the appointment: billing codes, referral letters, insurance, clinical notes