SAA SPOTLIGHT | Pursuing Specialty Certification

By Arun Joshi

This article is a part of the May/June 2017, Volume 29, Number 3, Audiology Today issue.

For many students, the prospect of graduation can mean several things—the end of their tenure in academia, or perhaps the beginning of a fulfilling, lifelong career. If you ask me, I am looking forward to the focus on clinical service provision in contrast to meeting capstone deadlines, writing term papers, and studying for examinations. In reality, however, as a health-care professional, you have committed yourself to lifelong learning because audiology is a profession that is founded upon evidence-based practice. By providing evidence-based diagnostic and treatment services, you offer to your patients reliable, effective, high-quality health care. Thus, in a way, you become a student for life.

As industry, technology, and hearing health care continue to evolve, it is much to your benefit as an audiologist to also practice continuous quality improvement—holding yourself to high standards, committing to being the hearing expert, and adapting to the needs of your patients and the market. One method to demonstrate this commitment to excellence and lifelong learning comes in the form of voluntary specialty certifications. In particular, the American Board of Audiology (ABA) has created two specialty certifications in pediatrics and cochlear implants that allow passionate professionals to set themselves apart from other general practitioners.

The Cochlear Implant Specialty Certification (CISC) and Pediatric Audiology Specialty Certification (PASC) are awarded through a meticulous evaluation process, which mandates the ability to pass a rigorous examination and a minimum number of years practicing as an audiologist. Audiologists who have obtained the CISC and/or PASC have acquired advanced knowledge in their respective areas of focus and have demonstrated themselves as experts in pediatric audiology and/or cochlear implants. These specialty certifications, although not a guarantee of any particular skill or competency, exemplify a dedication to high standards, ongoing education, and best practices.