Introduction
Audiology is a multifaceted profession involved in the assessment and management of hearing loss and balance disorders in adults and children (Audiology Australia, 2020). Audiologists work in a range of settings that can include public, private, education, and primary health care. The Northern Territory audiologist community is a small one with less than 30 audiologists in total. To assist with professional development, an annual event is held to provide training and networking opportunities for audiologists from different sectors.
Topic(s): audiology, Education, Teamwork, networking, communication training, communication
On October 25–26, 2016, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) hosted a conference on audiology education that was attended by representatives of all 75 academic programs in the United States, with representatives from the American Academy of Audiology, the American Board of Audiology, the Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education, and the Student Academy of Audiology also attending the conference.
Topic(s): Education, audiology, externships
The clinical experience is a key component of education for students enrolled in doctor of audiology (AuD) programs. Throughout a variety of clinical rotations, students learn how to diagnose, treat, counsel, support, and empower patients with hearing loss. To become effective clinicians, students must be able to participate in and experience these rotations to the fullest.
Topic(s): Education, hard of hearing (HOH)
As an audiology student, there are numerous opportunities to learn from or serve as a mentor. We may be assigned a faculty advisor to guide us through our academic career. Perhaps, we choose a research mentor to facilitate the completion of an independent research project or capstone. In some audiology programs, administration or Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) Chapters ask their second- or third-year audiology students to serve as “buddies” or “mentors” to incoming first-year AuD students or undergraduates.
Topic(s): Mentoring, Education, Volunteer
Historically, audiology students were supervised either in the university clinic or at community audiology practices by experienced audiologists. These one-on-one opportunities provided direction for the growth of an audiology student’s knowledge and skill, with the goal to obtain a specified number of “supervised” hours that presumably designated clinical competence.
Topic(s): Audiology Preceptor, Education, audiology
October 2018 marked the 10th anniversary of the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA). In the past decade, the student organization has become the strongest, most unified representation of the audiology student population.
The Past
The first and original student audiology organization was not the SAA. The National Association of Future Doctors of Audiology (NAFDA), founded in 1998 at the University of Louisville by Delbert Ault, was an independent audiology student organization. In an Audiology Online interview, Ault stated,
Topic(s): SAA - Student Academy of Audiology, audiology, Education
One of the most popular grant programs supported by the American Academy of Audiology Foundation is the Humanitarian, Education, and Awareness Resources (HEAR) Chapter Grants, underwritten generously by Starkey Hearing Technologies. Offered twice per year to Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) chapters, these grants help fund the development of a new chapter project or the refinement of an existing project that is either humanitarian or educational in nature, or related to the awareness of audiology. SAA chapters must demonstrate a plan to raise money for a portion of the project funding.
Topic(s): HEAR Chapter Grant, Hearing, Health Care, American Academy of Audiology Foundation (AAAF), Humanitarian, Education, Public Awareness, Resources
Now more than ever, infection control is one of the most widely discussed topics in any health-care environment. Infection control guidelines are changing rapidly, affecting the student clinician experience.
In accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Infection (CDC) guidelines, perhaps the most influential way to slow the spread of COVID-19 is minimizing the number of people in a space at a given time. Many medical settings have reduced the quantity of individuals allowed in the facility at once which often means fewer, if any, students.
Topic(s): COVID-19, Students, clinical audiology, Education, Continuing Education (CE)
