The Scoop on Audiologists
Audiology is something a lot of people haven't even heard of.
What in the World Does an Audiologist Do?
Audiologists treat people with hearing, ear and balance related issues. Anything that could possibly be related to the ear is cause for an Audiologist to get involved. If you were working as an Audiologist you would use an audiometer, a computer and other testing devices to determine the degree to which someone has hearing loss, hearing problems, or other ear-related issues.
If you were working in an Audiology clinic you might be working with in a system where you prescribe AND carry out treatment, so an Audiologist has to work every angle of the program unlike some medical professionals who prescribe treatment but don't necessarily have to carry it out.
What Kind of Training Do I Need? (A.K.A. - Will I need to go to School?)
Most States require that you have a Master's Degree to work as an Audiologist, but some are now requiring that you get a full-on Doctorate. With that in mind we'll work the Doctorate angle.
In order to become an Au. D. (Doctor of Audiology) you will need to first complete a Bachelor's Degree (this would be like any other Doctor where Med Schools prefer you get a degree in a science like Biology or Chemistry.) After getting your Degree you will need to gain acceptance to a Master's Degree Program in Audiology. These programs usually take 2 years to complete and make you a "Master of Audiology". After that you need to get your Doctorate. Once again, you go to school for 2-3 years and then complete an internship in Audiology and you can get your Au. D. Degree.
Once you have gotten your schooling you need a license to practice audiology in your state. This usually requires passing a written exam and a "skills" test. Once you have your license you can get a job working as an Audiologist.
How Do I get One of These Jobs Anyways?
Most jobs in Audiology are in health clinics or hospitals. This is a setting where you are "The Audiologist". In hospitals you would check the hearing of patients who have had problems and you would also check the hearing of newborn babies in the Labor and Delivery Ward.
If you were working in Audiology clinic you would be diagnosing, prescribing treatment, and administering treatment all in once place. Still other Audiologists work in school systems treating students with hearing disorders. This goes a larger scale of government jobs that support the community where you might be "the City Audiologist".
Given that job growth is expected to be small the best place to find new jobs would be in schools where the need for special services is rising and given new legislation that requires so much of school systems those people who can perform services like Audiology will be in high demand.
