Audiologist Programs / Job Prospects
What Audiologists do:
A deeply rewarding profession, Audiology is the field of science dedicated to the diagnosis and rehabilitation of hearing loss. An Audiologist is a health-care professional based in a healthcare facility, rehabilitation center, private practice or educational institution who works individually with children, youth, adults and the elderly who have balance, hearing, and other related ear problems.
Audiologists examine individuals and identify those with the symptoms of hearing, auditory, balance, sensory and neural problems. They then help the individual to manage his/her condition by assessing the nature and extent of the problem.
To become an audiologist, you must complete a doctoral degree which typically includes a supervised clinical practicum and externship, along with coursework in anatomy; auditory, balance, diagnosis and treatment; ethics; genetics; neural systems assessment and treatment; normal and abnormal communication development; pharmacology; physics and physiology.
The main duties of an Audiologist include:
- To identify, to diagnose, to treat and to monitor disorders within the ear
- Using audiometers, computers, and other devices to test the auditory and vestibular systems
- Measuring the impact of hearing loss on a persons daily life
- Diagnosing and evaluating balance disorders
- Determining a course of treatment (for example: hearing aid, cochlear implants or surgery)
Education & Qualifications:
To become a certified audiologist means holding a Certificate of Clinical Competence in the field of audiology (CCC-A). To do this you must first complete a doctorate degree in audiology (Au.D) accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
This graduate program in audiology is four years in length and prepares graduates for the audiology licensing examination and clinical practice. To gain entry to an accredited Au.D program you must satisfy the following requirements:
- Hold a relevant bachelors degree and have completed 75 hours minimum of post-baccalaureate study
- Meet prescribed competencies
- Passing the national Praxis exam in audiology facilitated by the Educational Testing Service
- Complete a 12 month supervised clinical internship
Upon successful graduation from a Au.D. program, you must then pass the audiology licensing examination to practice. You must then regularly complete continuing education (CE) credits to remain licensed.
Salary & Job Prospects:
Job prospects are favorable for those possessing the Au.D. doctoral degree. Qualified audiologists can expect to earn salaries between $65,000 - $150,000 per year. Audiologists who earn salaries in excess of $100,000, generally tend to work in private practice. The demand for audiologists is high due to the increased growth of the older population, and this will naturally cause the number of people with hearing and balance impairments to grow.
Below is a list of some of the various types of allied health careers / professions: