AUDIOLOGIST
Are you an effective communicator? Can you approach problems objectively? Are you patient and compassionate? Do you have good listening skills? Audiologists need to approach problems objectively and provide support to patients and their families. A patient's progress can be slow; therefore, compassion, patience and good listening skills are essential. Check out the information below about a career in audiology -- it might be the right one for you!
Audiologists identify, assess, and manage disorders of the auditory, balance, and other neural systems. They assess the nature and extent of the problems and help individuals manage them. Using audiometers, computers, and other testing devices, they measure the loudness at which a person begins to hear sounds, the ability to distinguish between sounds, and the impact of hearing loss on an individual's daily life. Audiologists also use computer equipment to evaluate and diagnose balance disorders. They interpret the results and may coordinate them with medical, educational, and psychological information to make a diagnosis and determine a course of treatment.
Click here to check out "A Day in the Life of a Rush University Doctor of Audiology Student."
First Steps:
Requirements for admission to programs in audiology include courses in English, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, psychology, and communication.
Earnings:
Listed below are hourly/annual wages for both entry level and experienced audiologists and the annual median hourly/annual wage.**
| Entry Wage |
Median Wage |
Experienced Wage |
| Hourly |
Annual |
Hourly |
Annual |
Hourly |
Annual |
| $20.80 |
$43,257 |
$30.20 |
$62,824 |
$35.87 |
$74,165 |
**Wage Data 2009, State of Illinois Department of Employment Security
Work Environment:
The job of an audiologist is not physically demanding; however, it does require attention to detail and intense concentration. The emotional needs of patients and their families may be demanding. Most full-time audiologists work about 40 hours per week, which may include weekends and evenings to meet patient needs.
Job Outlook:
Employment of audiologists is expected to grow ten percent from 2006 to 2016. Hearing loss is strongly associated with aging, so rapid growth in older population groups will cause the number of people with hearing and balance impairments to increase markedly.
Education:
Educational/Professional Requirements:
To apply for a license as an audiologist, applicants must file with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation - Division of Professional Regulation, a completed, signed application, on forms supplied by the Division that includes:
- Certification of a doctoral degree from an approved program.
- Passage of the PRAXIS examination or certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or from the American Board of Audiology.
- Certification of completion of the equivalent of nine months of full-time supervised professional experience.
- Complete work history since completion of a doctoral degree program.
- The fee for application for initial audiologist license of $90. Additionally, applicants for any examination shall be required to pay a fee covering the cost of determining an applicant's eligibility and providing the examination.
Professional Organization: