General Audiology Board Certification (GABC): Historical, Current and Future Perspectives and Why It Matters     

Like many other healthcare professionals, audiologists have the dubious distinction of the “alphabet signature” indicating our training and education, our expertise, and commitment to our field. For many years, the CCC-A was the acceptable and, unfortunately, the only credential that was recognized by licensure boards, health plans, and other professional organizations. With the recent additions to the ABA credentials portfolio, some history on the origin of the GABC might be helpful to better understand the value and importance of this new board certification.

Prior to 2004, audiologists were not required to hold a state license in every U.S. state, so many practitioners relied on professional credentials such as ASHA’s Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) to demonstrate their qualifications and competence. The Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) was established by ASHA in 1993, when ASHA separated its single Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) into two profession-specific credentials. With audiologists seeking autonomy from ASHA, in 1999 the American Board of Audiology created a comparable credential now known as the ABAC. 

Since 1999, the American Board of Audiology has been certifying audiologists by professional verification. Since the ABAC is not, by definition, board certification, in 2019 this entry-level credential was renamed ABAC, American Board of Audiology Certified and is recognized by licensure boards and health plans as comparable to CCC-A. While the CCC-A and the ABAC are equivalent credentials with both requiring passing the Praxis exam, neither credential is true board certification. True Board Certification demonstrates advanced professional competence by requiring candidates to successfully complete and pass a rigorous, comprehensive examination that validates their knowledge and expertise. While board certification in audiology has been a goal of the ABA since 2015, only recently has this effort become a reality.

While minimum competency is assessed by the Praxis to obtain the CCC’s and/or ABAC, board certification is a demonstration that a provider has gone beyond this entry level criteria. Audiologists typically take the Praxis exam immediately upon graduation, in order to obtain licensure and the ability to practice. Board certification exams are administered by a recognized professional body, created by subject matter experts to assess the knowledge acquired with years of clinical experience and practice. It is a measurement that goes beyond the minimum competencies of a new clinician to validate a higher level of expertise.

The 2022 practice analysis group cited the value of specialty certification for cochlear implants and pediatrics (the CISC and PASC) and recommendations were put forward that additional board certifications should be considered. Drs. Tish Gaffney and Devin McCaslin offered a proposal for specialty certification for vestibular audiologists (VASC) and in 2024 the data and momentum from the practice analysis process was used to create the VASC exam. The enthusiasm for and success of the VASC became the impetus for the GABC. In Spring 2025 focus groups were created to assess interest from the audiology community for general board certification. In July 2025, the Academy board approved the ABA proposal for General Audiology Board Certification and work is currently under way to achieve this. Registrations are now open for the GABC exam, information and registration is available on the ABA website.

After a long and circuitous journey, the ABA is on the brink of launching a true General Audiology Board Certification based on experience, professional skill, ethical practice, and ongoing education that defines and confirms the professional knowledge and expertise of a highly competent provider. We encourage all audiologists to consider this opportunity to elevate the profession and amplify your career by achieving the GABC.

Carrie Meyer, AuD
American Board of Audiology Certified