Audiologist

Assess and treat persons with hearing and related disorders. May fit hearing aids and provide auditory training. May perform research related to hearing problems.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: Audiologist; Audiology Doctor (AUD); Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology Licensed Audiologist (CCC-A Licensed Audiologist); Clinical Audiologist; Dispensing Audiologist; Educational Audiologist; Forensic Audiologist; Industrial Audiologist; Pediatric Audiologist; Staff Audiologist

Tasks

• Maintain patient records at all stages, including initial and subsequent evaluation and treatment activities.
• Evaluate hearing and balance disorders to determine diagnoses and courses of treatment.
• Fit, dispense, and repair assistive devices, such as hearing aids.
• Administer hearing tests and examine patients to collect information on type and degree of impairment, using specialized instruments and electronic equipment.
• Monitor patients' progress and provide ongoing observation of hearing or balance status.
• Instruct patients, parents, teachers, or employers in communication strategies to maximize effective receptive communication.
• Counsel and instruct patients and their families in techniques to improve hearing and communication related to hearing loss.
• Refer patients to additional medical or educational services, if needed.
• Participate in conferences or training to update or share knowledge of new hearing or balance disorder treatment methods or technologies.
• Examine and clean patients' ear canals.
• Recommend assistive devices according to patients' needs or nature of impairments.
• Advise educators or other medical staff on hearing or balance topics.
• Program and monitor cochlear implants to fit the needs of patients.
• Educate and supervise audiology students and health care personnel.
• Plan and conduct treatment programs for patients' hearing or balance problems, consulting with educators, physicians, nurses, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and other health care personnel, as necessary.

Knowledge

• Customer and Personal Service
• Therapy and Counseling
• Psychology
• Medicine and Dentistry
• English Language
• Sales and Marketing
• Computers and Electronics
• Biology
• Education and Training
• Administrative
• Administration and Management
• Economics and Accounting
• Personnel and Human Resources
• Mathematics

Skills

• Reading Comprehension
• Active Listening
• Writing
• Speaking
• Critical Thinking
• Active Learning
• Monitoring
• Learning Strategies
• Science

Abilities

• Oral Comprehension
• Written Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Written Expression
• Problem Sensitivity
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Speech Clarity
• Near Vision
• Speech Recognition
• Information Ordering
• Hearing Sensitivity
• Auditory Attention
• Category Flexibility
• Originality
• Flexibility of Closure
• Perceptual Speed
• Fluency of Ideas
• Speed of Closure
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
• Finger Dexterity
• Control Precision