Q:What's a typical workday like for you?
A:I'm a clinical audiologist and the department supervisor. My patients are of all ages. A typical day may include newborn babies and 5-year-old children who have failed their hearing screenings, teenagers and young adult musicians who have noise-induced hearing loss, middle-aged adults and senior citizens with hearing loss. I also see children and young adults who need their hearing aids adjusted.
Q:How does your role fit into the bigger healthcare picture?
A:Diagnosis, rehabilitation, prevention and early identification of hearing loss are important. We refer patients to primary care physicians, pediatricians or otolaryngologists, depending on the problem. We can eliminate or reduce the effects of hearing loss on speech and language development in children.
Q:Who do you interact with during the course of the day?
A:In addition to my patients, I am in contact with other audiologists and audiology assistants; my clerical support staff; family practice doctors, pediatricians and their staffs; otolaryngologists; and patients. My administrative role puts me in contact with payroll, human resources and the director of eye care and audiology.
Q:Why did you become an audiologist?
A:I was interested in a career that I could have a positive impact on people's lives, helping to enhance their communication by overcoming some of the limitations of hearing loss. I was also influenced by the fact that my father is a speech and language pathologist and involved in communication disorders.
