Got Change?

One of my favorite sayings is “the only constant is change.” As I was reflecting on the growth in the ABA credentials portfolio, it occurred to me I had no idea where this quote originated. I was delighted to learn that it is credited to the ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, also known as “Heraclitus the Obscure.” Heraclitus viewed the world as constantly in flux, always “becoming” but never “being.” I think audiologists, like Heraclitus (despite the unfortunate epithet obscure) would agree that our profession is in a state of growth and change, on our way to becoming a better version of the hearing experts first envisioned by Raymond Carhart in the aftermath of World War II.

The ABA supports audiologists by continuing to expand the credentials available to all working professionals on their journey to becoming the hearing, tinnitus, and balance experts in their communities. The Vestibular Audiology Specialty Certification (VASC) has launched with 15 candidates passing the beta exam offered in August 2025. The newly Board Certified in Vestibular Audiology (BC-VA) audiologists represent 11 U.S. states and Turkey. Along with these newly board certified vestibular audiologists, seven audiologists have completed the Certificate Holder–Educational Audiology (CH-EdAud) program launched on August 15 and now hold the CH-EdAud credential.

Work on a general audiology board certification is moving forward and the working group has been divided into a Development Task Force and an Oversight Committee. The Development Task Force will focus on item and exam development while the Oversight Committee focuses on requirements and processes and forms the core group to set item standards and recommend a cut score for the beta exam proposed for release in June 2026. Subject matter experts are being recruited to participate in both groups. Please contact ABA at aba@audiology.org if you are interested in volunteering for either group.

Finally, as the ABA continues to evolve, we bid farewell with heartfelt thanks to ABA board members Jackie Clark, Jill Giangaspro and Kristin Samuelson. We welcome new board members Sarah Cordingley, Taylor Gilger, and Michelle Tejada. Our deep appreciation for new, current, and past ABA board members whose work continues to advance the profession of audiology.

Carrie Meyer, AuD
ABA Certified