Audiology is the study of hearing and deals with the non-medical management of the auditory and vestibular systems.

What Does an Audiologist Do?

An audiologist provides a number of services:

• Scientifically measure hearing ability in children and adults
• Identify the presence and severity of any hearing problem
• Provide practical suggestions on how to handle communi-cation situations at home, work, school, and other places so that the effects of the problems are reduced
• Test to determine if amplification devices, such as hearing aids, will help
• Help a person understand what a hearing aid or other assis-tive listening device can and cannot do
• Instruct the person in speech (lip) reading
• Counsel the person on possible strategies and solutions to problems that a person with a hearing loss may face

An audiologist may choose to specialize in the following areas:

• Normal and impaired hearing
• Prevention of hearing loss
• Identification and assessment of hearing and balance problems
• Rehabilitation of persons with hearing and balance disorders
• Prepare future professionals in colleges and universities
• Manage agencies, clinics or private practices
• Engage in research to enhance knowledge about normal hearing, and the evaluation and treatment of hearing disorders
• Design hearing instruments and testing equipment

Carreer Information

Audiologists can work with all age groups and can choose to work in many different facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and long term care facilities. Some audiologists may choose to work with industries and its workers in an effort to reduce the prevalence of hearing impairment and conserve hearing. In most facilities, audiologists work with a team of other medical specialists, such as speech-language pathologists, scientists, educators, and allied health professionals.

Earning a Degree

About 120 colleges and universities offer graduate programs in audiology in the United States. In order to become an audiologist, it is necessary to earn a clinical doctorate in audiology, otherwise known as an Au.D. To learn more about the Au.D. you can visit http://www.audiology.org/students/audfacts.php or http://www.audfound.org/files/AuDdegree.pdf.

Useful Links

For listings of universities that offer an Au.D. program: http://www.audiology.org/students/audprog.php
Note: The University of Rhode Island now offers the Au.D. degree.

To learn more about the profession of audiology visit the following sites:
Audiology Foundation of America: http://www.audfound.org.
American Academy of Audiology: http://www.audiology.org

Hearing loss and the Audiologist: http://www.asha.org/students/professions/overview/hla.htm

Fact Sheet: Audiologists: http://www.asha.org/students/professions/overview/audiology.htm

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