Completing the Picture
Our volunteers are essential—they are key in supporting the Academy and helping to provide vital services to you, our members. We often refer to our volunteers as puzzle pieces, fitting together with all their specific knowledge, background, and expertise, to complete the picture of what the Academy is working to accomplish, not only for our members but for the profession of audiology.
So, what does that whole picture look like, and how do our volunteers help us get there?
Putting the Pieces Together
The Academy volunteer program began in 2017 with about 300 initial volunteers and 20 committees. Over the last seven years, it has grown to a network of 430 professional and student volunteers on 35 committees, subcommittees, and task forces; under the direction of five councils and our Board of Directors.
Guidelines and Strategic Documents
In support of the Academy’s mission to promote quality hearing and balance care through education, research, and increased public awareness, the Guidelines and Strategic Documents Committee has been developing and publishing scientific and clinical documents that inform the field of audiology, state best practices, and establish credible, evidence-based recommendations that guide clinical decision-making and improve the quality of care. The committee updated and released the following documents last year:
- Scope of Practice – Updated April 2023
- Standards of Practice for Audiology – Updated April 2023
- Position Statement on Early Identification of Cytomegalovirus in Newborns – Released March 2023
- Assessment of Vestibular Function in the Pediatric Population – Coming this summer!
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Committee is responsible for ensuring continued progress toward the Academy’s vision of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The committee recommends priorities and initiatives, as well as designs and implements activities and resources as requested.
Since its formation in January 2022, the committee has assigned liaisons to each of the Academy’s councils, had representation in the annual Clinical Education Forum at AAA 2022+HearTECH Expo focused on microaggressions, and contributed demographic questions and feedback to the development of a practice analysis survey. Additionally, the chair of the DEIB Committee contributed to a diversity plan for the Academy Research Conference (ARC) research grant submission for 2023 and will serve as co-principal investigator, if funded.
From supporting a diverse workplace to aiding a diverse student population and patient base, the Academy has resources to help educate and implement.
Spotlight On…
It is hard to express our gratitude with just the words “thank you.” Even so, thank you to our devoted volunteers for making the Academy a priority in your life. Thank you for making your evenings available for meetings, and for fitting us into your incredibly busy schedules. Thank you for choosing us as your vehicle for progress, and thank you for making your voice a part of audiology’s voice.
Each month, we recognize one outstanding volunteer from one committee or subcommittee, and feature them with a volunteer spotlight. During volunteer appreciation week, we’d love to take this time to recognize them again for all their hard work; you can review many of the previous spotlights on our website, read their responses to the interview questions, and get to know more about them and why they volunteer.
Want to Get Involved?
Volunteer opportunities cover a broad array of specialties and areas of interest, from coding and reimbursement, to government relations, to guidelines and practice documents, to continuing education, and more.
You can even help plan AAA 2025+HearTECH Expo in New Orleans, Louisiana, by joining one of five AAA 2025 Program Subcommittees. If you’re just starting out as a volunteer and want a shorter-term opportunity to get your feet wet, the conference subcommittees require only a few weeks in the fall and would be a perfect introduction to the program.
Longer-term committee opportunities are more involved with three-year terms (unless otherwise specified) where you can really see the course of progress from inception to final project and beyond. We have several volunteers who have joined multiple different committees over the past few years to get a full scope of how the Academy is working to make audiological care a priority and top of mind for consumers, as well as making sure Academy members are practicing at the height of their field.
Review the Academy’s value proposition and strategic objectives, and click the buttons below to apply to volunteer!
Stay tuned for a main call for volunteer opportunities this summer!
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