Audiologist
Audiologists identify and measure hearing loss, detect balance problems and neurological diseases and work closely with patients to develop rehabilitation programmes. As an audiologist, you would be qualified to see people of all ages but most of your work would be with children and older people because hearing problems are most common in these groups. The rehabilitation of hearing-impaired adults requires both the prescription and evaluation of hearing aids, using a variety of techniques and measuring devices. You would have to be proficient in all the procedures for testing hearing and balance, together with interpreting and reporting the results of these tests.
Once you are experienced, you would be expected to undertake more complex and non-routine tasks. These may include electrophysiological testing of the auditory pathways and the fitting of more complex hearing aids, together with the training and supervision of junior grades.
You could develop your expertise in a specialised area of audiology, such as paediatrics, balance disorders or complex procedures like cochlear implants.
Entry level
You will need to meet the usual entry requirement for a BSc degree. These are generally expressed as three A level/Advanced Higher or five Higher qualifications, normally including at least one science-related subject. However, universities will consider other applications on an individual basis, often giving credit for relevant experience and non-traditional qualifications.
Making the grade
The clearest route to qualification as an audiologist is to take a four-year BSc in Audiology, although it is also possible to take a degree in a relevant subject and follow this with a postgraduate training course and clinical competency assessment.
If you take the Audiology BSc, your first two years would be spent at university, where you would study the science behind clinical tests and treatments and learn how to work with patients in a therapeutic relationship. The third year would be spent working in an audiology clinic, where you would be employed as a trainee audiologist. In the final year, you would return to university to learn about more advanced aspects of audiology. The final step is to graduate from the course and undertake an assessment of clinical competency before becoming fully qualified as an audiologist.
Personal qualities
You must be able to communicate effectively with deaf people. This includes being able to listen carefully to problems and, when necessary, to break bad news in a caring and sensitive way. ‘Deaf awareness’ means looking directly at your patient and speaking at a normal level (but slightly slower) with speech that is easy to lip-read. In assessing children, you would need a wide range of skills and strategies to test babies, toddlers and older infants.
Whatever your specialism within audiology, a scientific, evidence-based approach would be essential, together with a keen interest in working with people in a clinical environment. It would be part of your professional commitment to keep up with new approaches to patient care and with technological developments.
Looking ahead
This is a good time to join the rapidly developing and expanding profession of audiology. Hearing and Balance services are currently undergoing major changes and the government is funding the training of new staff to support these improvements. The recent introduction of hearing screening for every baby born in England and Wales, alongside the increasing availability of cochlear implants and therapy for balance problems, are examples of services needing a strong and enthusiastic workforce of highly skilled audiologists in the UK.
While most audiologists work in the NHS, there are also opportunities in the private sector or in a university where you could undertake teaching and research.
Alternative suggestions
If audiology appeals, you might also consider training as a speech and language therapist, physiotherapist, teacher of the deaf or an ear, nose and throat doctor.
Take-home pay
If you start as a student on the BSc Audiology course, you would have your course fees paid and would receive an NHS means-tested bursary in years 1,2 and 4. You would receive a trainee salary in year 3, currently about £10,000.
Working in the NHS, you would be paid on the Medical Technical Officer (MTO) scale, which starts at MTO 1 (probationary post) and rises to MTO 5 (Head of Department). An MTO 5 earns a salary of approximately £30,000-£35,000.
Effects
You would generally work normal office hours from Monday to Friday in a hospital outpatient department. Some audiology work is also carried out on hospital wards, during surgery or in a community setting. In order to progress to higher grades, you might be expected to attend courses and meetings at weekends or to study outside working hours.
Sources of information
British Association of Audiological Scientists: www.baas.org.uk
British Society of Audiology: www.thebsa.org.uk/
CRCI: JF
