Audiologists need specific education to qualify to practice, and to build a successful career.
This post provides exhaustive information about the audiologist education and career, including the certifications and qualities you need to be successful to become a successful audiologist.
Please, read on:
Why Choose Audiologist Career?
The field of audiology has grown rapidly over the past several years due to increased awareness about hearing loss and its effects on people’s lives.
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), there were more than 32 million Americans with some form of hearing impairment in 2010.
This number represents a 10 percent increase from 1990.
The NIDCD also reported that approximately 47 million children have hearing impairments that could affect their learning.
In addition, nearly one-third of all adults older than 65 years have hearing problems that limit communication.
In order to provide effective services to individuals with hearing loss, audiologists must first understand how the ear works.
They then use this knowledge to diagnose and treat patients with hearing loss. Audiologists work closely with otolaryngologists (ear, nose and throat doctors) and speech language pathologists (speech therapists).
These professionals help identify the cause of hearing loss and develop treatment plans.
Audiologist Education Requirements
An individual seeking to become an audiologist should earn a Bachelor’s degree in Audiology or a related health care field such as biology, chemistry, psychology, nursing, or physical therapy.
A Master’s degree in a specific area of audiology is required for entry into doctoral programs.
A Doctorate or Ph.D. is a higher-level qualification. It is necessary if you want to pursue research in your career.
Audiologist Continuing Education
Continuing education is important for any professional because it helps keep them up-to-date with new developments in their field.
For example, when a new technology becomes available, many audiologists will learn about it so they can offer the best possible service to their clients.
As part of continuing education, audiologists participate in training workshops, seminars and conferences.
Some audiologists even take courses at local colleges and universities.
Audiologist Certification/License
To obtain certification or licensure, an individual must pass a national exam. To qualify for state licensing, candidates must complete a residency program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org).
The American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA; www.asha.org) offers two levels of certification: Certified Audiological Assistant (CAA) and Clinical Audiometric Services Provider (CASP).
Both certifications require passing an examination.
The ASHA CAA exam consists of three parts: listening, speaking, and interpreting. The CASP exam requires only listening and interpreting.
Audiologist Career Pathways
The following is an overview of the different career pathways that exist within the field of audiology:
Clinical Audiologists
Patients are examined by a clinical audiologist to determine the cause of their hearing, balance, or ear disorders. They deal with patients of all ages or focus on a specific population, such as children or the elderly.
Audiologists employ a variety of tools and procedures to assess patients and establish treatment regimens that are unique to them.
Humanitarian audiologist
An audiologist who works with people who don’t have access to health care that meets their hearing needs is known as a humanitarian audiologist.
Patients are examined, diagnosed, and treated by these professionals, who may also fit them with hearing aids if necessary.
They are frequently employed by non-profit groups that provide healthcare services.
Hearing aid specialist
Patients with hearing loss can benefit from the services of a hearing aid specialist.
Patients’ hearing abilities are tested, and imprints of their ears are taken in order to equip them with hearing aids.
Hearing aid specialists may visit patients on a frequent basis to confirm that their hearing aids are still working and fit properly, and to make any necessary modifications or repairs.
Hearing aid dispensers are another name for these specialists.
More tips on Audiologist Career Pathways
Hearing screener
A hearing screener assesses a patient’s ability to hear. These specialists analyze patients using a variety of tests and equipment before referring them to an audiologist for further evaluation.
Some hearing screeners test newborns immediately after birth, while others test children in schools.
They can also work full-time as testing technicians in hospitals or doctors’ offices.
Corporate audiologist
Hearing aid makers, for example, hire corporate audiologists to develop and sell hearing equipment and technology.
Despite having past clinical experience, qualifications, and licensure as an audiologist, corporate audiologists rarely visit patients.
Professor
Audiologists can also work as professors or assistant professors of audiology in the educational field.
Others are:
Forensic audiologist
Dispensing audiologists
Educational audiologists
Hearing therapists
Licensed audiologists
Pediatric audiologists
How to Advance your Audiologist Career
If you are interested in becoming an audiologist, here are some steps you can take to advance your career:
Learn more about your Profession
Find out what types of jobs exist within the profession. You may be able to find information through online job boards like Indeed.com, Monster.com, and SimplyHired.com.
2. Take Advanced Courses
Many schools offer classes designed specifically for aspiring audiologists. Check with your school’s academic department to see whether these classes are offered.
If not, contact the department head to inquire about taking a course outside of your major.
3. Attend Conferences
Conferences are great places to meet other professionals who share your interests. Many audiologists attend conferences throughout the year.
Contact the conference organizers to determine which ones are most relevant to you.
4. Network with other Audiologists
You never know where networking might lead. It could open doors that would help you further your career.
5. Join Professional Organizations
Professional organizations provide opportunities to network with other professionals and stay current on industry trends. They also provide access to resources that can benefit your career.
6. Volunteer
Volunteering for a non-profit organization or community group can give you valuable experience and help you develop skills that will serve you well in your future career.
7. Consider Going Back to School
Some audiologists choose to go back to school to earn a degree in audiology.
Earning this type of advanced degree can increase your earning potential and improve your chances of getting hired.
More tips on How to Advance your Audiologist Career
8. Apply for Jobs
The best way to get hired into a position as an audiologist is to apply directly. However, if you have no luck applying directly, try contacting employers in your area to ask if they are hiring.
9. Be Flexible
As an audiologist, you will likely work different hours than those of traditional professions. This means you need to be flexible when it comes to scheduling appointments.
10. Keep Learning
Continuing education is important to keeping yourself up-to-date on new developments in the field.
How to Find a Good Audiologist School
To become an audiologist, you’ll need to earn a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
After earning your degree, you’ll need to complete a graduate program at a vocational school or hospital.
Once you’ve completed all of the above requirements, you’ll be ready to start working as a professional audiologist.
There are many ways to learn more about how to become an audiologist. Here are just a few suggestions:
1. Request recommendations from friends and family.
2. Visit local hospitals and clinics.
3. Search online for “audiologists” and “schools”.
Here are major qualities an audiologist should have for success in their careers:
1. A good audiologist should be able to communicate effectively with patients and their families.
2. An audiologist must possess excellent listening skills.
3. Audiology students need to demonstrate strong communication skills when interacting with patients.
4. A good audiologist must be knowledgeable about the latest advances in audiology.
5. An audiologist should be able maintain professional relationships with colleagues and other medical practitioners.
6. An audiologist should practice in accordance with established standards of ethics and professionalism.
7. An audiologist should have a thorough knowledge of the human anatomy and physiology.
Audiologist Salary Information
The average audiologist salary in the United States is $87,306 as of February 25, 2022, according to Salary.com, but the range typically falls between $80,369 and $95,327.
Education, certifications, other talents, and the amount of years you’ve worked in your area all influence salary ranges.
Audiologist Job Outlook
The BLS projects that job growth for audiologists should be strong through 2016 – 2026. There should be approximately 20% increase in jobs each year.
Conclusion
If you’re interested in becoming an audiologist, it’s important to know what you want to accomplish in this field. This will help you to decide which career path to follow.
We trust that information on this page has helped you to learn the education you need to have and other things to know to become a successful audiologist.
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