Audiologists Career | Salary | Education

Audiology is the learning branch of speech and hearing disorders. This becomes an official specialization due to the increase of hearing-impaired patients. This is a very well respected and satisfying job.

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Let’s discuss in brief all the related information related to becoming an Audiologist.

A Complete Guidebook To Become An Audiologist

Who Are Audiologists And What Do They Do?

An audiologist is a person who is trained in the area of audiology. They are trained to diagnose and treat the hearing, tinnitus, or balancing problem.

There are many audiology courses in India. This career will help other people who are suffering from any type of hearing problem.

An audiologist is a person who manages and treats the hearing or ear-related problems of a patient. There are various technologies that are used by them to check whether an individual is hearing-impaired or not.

Audiologist Roles and Responsibilities

Responsibilities Of An Audiologist

Examine patients who are suffering from hearing as well as ear-related problems.
Check the reports of the examination and analyze problems.
Determine and carry out treatment to meet patients’ target.
Provide treatment for tinnitus problem. This is a condition that causes ringing in the ear.
Fit and allocate hearing aids.
Give advice to patients and their families on ways to listen and communicate, such as by lip reading or through technology.
Check patients regularly to evaluate hearing and balance and to continue or change the treatment plan.
Record patients’ improvement.
Research the reason for and treatment of hearing and balance disability.
Educate patients on ways to prevent hearing loss.

An audiologist uses different types of devices to examine patients hearing abilities and balance. Some of the devices which are used by the audiologists are computers, audio meters, and many other devices.

These devices are used by the audiologist to test the hearing ability and balance of a patient. They work to find out the extent of hearing damage and the cause of the hearing loss.

Audiologist checks the loudness at which a person begins to hear the sound. They also measure the ability of a person to distinguish between sound and understanding speech therapy.

Firstly audiologist evaluates psychological information to check the impact of hearing loss on a patient.

Treatment Provided By An Audiologist

To improve the hearing of a patient Audiologist will do the following treatment:

Cleaning Wax out of ears canals.
Fitting as well as checking hearing aids.
Fitting the patient with cochlear implants.

Cochlear implants devices transmit the electrical impulses directly to the auditory nerve in the brain. This type of treatment is suitable for various types of hearing loss patients.

The audiologist also gives advice to another type of hearing loss patients so that they can cope with that. These treatments include lip-reading or by using other techniques.

Read more : speech therapy books you must read

They also provide treatment to patients who are suffering from vertigo or other balance problems. They work with the patients and suggest many types of head movements or positioning.

So that they feel relax from the problems. Some of the audiologists specialize in working with the elderly or with children. While others provide the treatment for hearing loss prevention.

To protect the hearing of workers on the job, Audiologists may also design some of the products. The audiologist who are self-employed hire, other employees, keep records, other equipment, and supplies, as well as complete other tasks related to executing a business.

Where Do Audiologists Work?

Most of the audiologists work in health-care facilities such as hospitals and physician’s offices. They also work in schools for children by taking permission from the administration.

While others work in the personal and health care stores. Some of the audiologists work on a contract basis.

To become an audiologist you will need a doctoral degree that must be licensed in all of the states. Requirements for the licensure vary by state.

Educational Requirements To Become An Audiologist

The Doctoral degree in Audiology (Au.D.) is a graduate program. The program of audiology typically completes in 4 years.

Graduate coursework consists of anatomy, physiology, physics, genetics, normal and abnormal communication development, diagnosis and treatment, pharmacology, as well as ethics.

Programs also require supervised clinical practice. Graduation from a program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation is required to get a license in most of the states.

Eligibility criteria

Diploma Programmes – 10 + 2 Science or an equivalent examination
Bachelor’s Degree Programme – 10 + 2 Science with Physics, Chemistry Maths/Biology or an equivalent examination
Post Graduate Program – Graduate in the respective discipline of Speech & Audiology

Such degrees are recognized in India and also abroad, and employment is usually found in government and private organizations.

Various Courses Available In Audiology And Speech & Hearing

B.Sc. (Speech and Hearing)
M.Sc. (Audiology)
M.Sc. (Speech-Language Pathology)
Bachelors of Special Education (Hearing Impairment)
Diploma in Hearing Aid and Earmold Technology
B.Ed (Special Education-Distance Mode)
Ph.D. (Audiology)
Ph.D. (Speech-Language Pathology)
Certificate Course on Communication Disorders

What Qualities Should An Audiologist Must Have?

Communication skills:– Audiologists need to communicate test results and proposed treatments. So that patients can clearly understand the situation and options. They also may need to work on teams with other health care providers and education specialists regarding patient care.
Concerned:– Audiologists mostly work with patients who may be frustrated or emotional because of their hearing or balance problems. They should be understanding and concerned about their patients and their families.
Kindness:- Audiologist should be kind and helpful for the patient. Because they work with the patients who have hearing loss.
Critical- thinking skills:- Concentration is essential for Audiologists at the time of a hearing test. They must be able to analyze the patient’s situation. So that they can provide the best treatment to the patients. They should have the alternative treatments in the situation if any of the hearing loss people deny the initial treatment.
Patience:- Audiologists must work with patients as many patients require a lot of time and special care.
Problem-solving skills:- Problem-solving skill is important in an audiologist so that they can easily solve the problem of their patients by providing the best treatment. These skills are also required to find out the reasons behind the problem.

How Much An Audiologist Earn

In May 2015, the median annual wage for audiologists was Rs 52,00,650. The median wage is the wage at that the staff in associate degree occupation earned over that quantity and earned less.

This is the small occupation and the chances of 3800 new jobs in the coming 10 year period. Employment projects will increase by 29 percent from 2014 to 2024.

In the coming years, the demand for audiologists will be on the boom. The reason behind this is the increment of the hearing loss in people.

The top industries in which audiologists work and their corresponding salaries are as follows:

Industry	Salary(Rs)
Hospitals; state, local, and private	56,24,443
Offices of physicians	50,77,189
Educational services; state, local, and private	51,65,970
Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists	53,35,903

Similar Career To Audiologist

1. Optometrists

They check the eyes and the different components of the sensory system. They additionally analyze and treat visual issues and manage diseases and different disorders of the eyes.

According to the requirement, they prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses for the patients.

2. Physical Therapists

Physical therapists typically referred to as PTs, help injured or unwell people. They help in improving their movement and managing their pain.

They are generally a part of the rehabilitation, treatment, and interference of patients with chronic conditions, illnesses, or injuries.

3. Physicians and Surgeons

They analyze and treat fractures or diseases. Physicians examine patients then take medical histories and then visit medications. After that, they order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests.

They give advice to their patients on diet, hygiene, and preventive health-care. Surgeons check their patients to examine the injuries, like broken bones; diseases, like cancerous tumors; and deformities, like cleft palates.

4. Psychologists

Psychologists study psychological options, emotional, and social processes and behavior by perceptive, decoding and recording, however, relate to a minimum of each other and their environments.

5. Speech-Language Therapist

They assess, diagnose, treat, and facilitate to stop communication and swallowing disorders in patients. Speech, language, as well as swallowing disorders resulting from a spread of causes, like stroke, brain injury, hearing disability, biological process delay, Parkinson’s illness, a congenital defect, or syndrome.