By Dayle Paustian
This article is a part of the September/October 2019, Volume 31, Number 5, Audiology Today issue.
It is estimated that two to three of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with some degree of hearing loss and that more will acquire hearing loss later in childhood, according to the National Institutes of Health. The passage of the Newborn and Infant Hearing Screening Act of 1999 and the adoption of universal newborn hearing screenings in many states, in conjunction with early-intervention services, changed lives and outcomes for many children.
Today, those born in the late 1990s through the early 2000s are reaching toward new educational and career aspirations. Not surprisingly, many children who were identified with hearing loss and received audiological assistance in their early years are now pursuing a career in audiology.
Meet the Students
Eight students with hearing loss are part of the first- and second-year cohort currently studying at Salus University to become doctors of audiology. I am one of them.
Unlike many of our classmates, some of us were driven toward this field from a very early age, knowing this profession to be our calling. We have personally benefited as patients from technological advances in audiology and are hopeful that these experiences can be applied to our professional life as well.
At a time where we focus so much on what will happen in the future, it is often important to look back and admire how much audiology has advanced and, above all, improved the quality of life for many. I have the privilege of sharing some personal stories from student audiologists with you here. Through this information, we hope to increase our personal connections with patients and strengthen relationships with our current and future colleagues.
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