Job Talk with an audiologist
Job Talk with an audiologist
About our participant
■ Name/age: Philip C. Griffin, 32■ Occupation: Doctor of Audiology■ Employer: The Hearing Clinic, Greensboro■ Years in field: 2 1/2■ Salary range: Starting around $80,000 for doctoral-level audiologists working in a private practice in the Triad, according to Griffin. The mean salary for all audiologists in 2008 was $65,500, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
■ Education:• B.A. in speech and hearing sciences, Portland State University, Portland, Ore.• Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.), UNC-Chapel Hill Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, part of the UNC School of Medicine. Note: Audiologists are not physicians, and therefore do not perform surgery or prescribe medication.■ Goal of the job: To diagnose, treat or prevent disorders of the inner ear, which can lead to hearing loss, imbalance, dizziness or vertigo
■ Tasks: • Diagnose different types of hearing problems, such as hearing loss due to aging, excessive noise exposure or ear infection• Recommend appropriate hearing instruments that match the type of hearing loss and communication needs of patients• Work as a team with other medical practitioners in the diagnosis and management of complex problems that cause hearing loss, tinnitus imbalance, vertigo or dizziness• Troubleshoot problems with hearing instruments from the simple, such as wax blockage, to the more complex, such as the proper routing of Bluetooth or FM signals to the hearing instruments• Verify prescription and performance of hearing instruments using scientific methods, including electro-acoustic analysis of the devices and speech testing in controlled conditions
How did you become involved in this line of work?
I first thought to work as a speech pathologist. As part of my undergraduate program, we were required to take audiology courses. I fell in love with audiology immediately. Here was a helping profession with person-to-person care, which uses sound as a treatment, and had a strong emphasis on science. It combined everything I could ever want in a profession.
What is the process for diagnosing and treating hearing problems?
The first part is getting a complete health history to pinpoint factors that might affect hearing. Then we use various tests to investigate how well someone is hearing. We use a soundproof booth, calibrated instruments and our clinical judgment. We can test hearing brain waves, eardrum movement and speech understanding.
After we gather this information, we advise patients on their options. If their problem is medical, whether it’s an infection or a tumor, we refer the patients to their family doctor or a physician specializing in diseases of the ear. This happens in about 10 percent of cases. The other 90 percent of cases are people who need the expertise of an audiologist to maximize their hearing function. We go over available audiologic treatment options, and with the patient choose the most suitable one.
Is there a particular area in which you specialize?
Yes, I specialize in vertigo and imbalance. I work as a team member with other clinicians such as neurologists, family doctors, ear, nose and throat physicians, and physical therapists to determine the cause of dizziness or balance problems. My job is to search for any signs of inner-ear causes of these symptoms, diagnose the problem, if possible, and provide any information or treatment that may help in the management of the patient. Some types of dizziness I can clear up in a single appointment. Other types are more complex and may require a coordinated effort between several specialty clinicians. What advice do you have for people interested in this job?
Learn more on the Internet about what an audiologist does (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos085.htm). Ask to observe an audiologist at work, if you can. And, of course, ask yourself if you are the type of person who wants to dedicate themselves to helping others and who enjoys the challenge of rigorous scientific study.
Phillip Griffin 102509
Philip Griffin, doctor of audiology, conducts a hearing evaluation (audiogram) in a sound-proof booth at The Hearing Clinic’s Greensboro location.
