As of October 1, 2024, I am in the driver’s seat for this segment of the American Academy of Audiology’s journey. My responsibility is to guide us forward, keeping us on the right path and moving efficiently. The Academy has been shaped by a lineage of remarkable leaders, each leaving a lasting mark. Now, I have the honor of steering us through this moment in time.

When we envision the future of audiology, there are a few shared aspirations. One is fair compensation for the full scope of services we provide in caring for our patients. At present, many of the services we offer—such as counseling and management—go uncompensated in our current health-care models. We must push for payment for all aspects of our work. Equally important is recognition of our expertise in diagnosing, managing, and treating patients. For too long, Medicare has confined us to providing only diagnostic services. Legislative efforts to reclassify our role are crucial to advancing our profession. The Academy continues to work tirelessly on advocacy while also seeking new ways to educate members on practice management strategies that can improve compensation.

We must also practice at the top of our scope, consistently delivering high-quality care to maintain the trust of our patients and colleagues. Evidence-based practice and adherence to best practice guidelines are fundamental for us as doctoral-level professionals. The elevation of audiology in health care hinges on demonstrating measurable improvements in hearing and vestibular outcomes by following these best practices. The Academy is modernizing its guidelines, and the journal editor-in-chief is bringing fresh ideas to the Journal of the American Academy of Audiology to further enhance research accessibility for our members.

Finally, as we continue along our audiology journey, we must remain resilient in the face of disruptions. Whether societal, technological, or economic, challenges will arise. However, rather than reacting to these “bumps in the road,” we need to anticipate and address them proactively. With the right mindset and tools, we can navigate around obstacles instead of hitting them and cursing the result. My message to the Board of Directors this year is we need to be proactively maneuvering ahead to meet the needs of our membership.

There may not be a GPS that tells us the exact route and arrival time to reach our destination, but as my mom would say, this is the adventure. Together, we will navigate forward, respond to the unexpected with agility, and keep our focus on the needs of audiologists and the patients we serve. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has entrusted me to lead this organization for the 2024–2025 term. Rest assured, I will not be asleep at the wheel—and if you know me, there will be plenty of coffee involved along the way.

I would like to dedicate my first President’s Message to my mom. She would have been incredibly proud to see me reach this milestone. 

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By Richard E. Gans

This article is a part of the November/December 2024, Volume 36, Number 6, Audiology Today issue.

Introduction

The profession of audiology has changed in so many ways over the past two decades due to both internal and external forces. These include improved digital hearing aids, wide application of cochlear implants, decrease in middle-ear disease, greater acceptance of amplification, changes in reimbursement, increased competition in delivery models, decreased number of manufacturers, transition to a doctoring profession with exponential increase in student debt, and growing population of older adults as the baby boomer wave continues to hit. These forces had both positive and negative effects on how and where we practice and the economic and professional opportunities available to us. 

The post Building Blocks of a Balance Business appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

By Emily E. McMahan

This article is a part of the November/December 2024, Volume 36, Number 6, Audiology Today issue.

My Trajectory to Tinnitus Care

As an AuD student who envisioned a traditional career path, I anticipated a routine filled with hearing assessments and hearing aid services, with tinnitus cases interspersed. Early in my career in audiology, it was very much like what I envisioned. However, the rapid advancements in audiology over the last decade have dramatically altered my professional trajectory. Tinnitus care has evolved from a peripheral role to a central focus in my practice, presenting exceptional opportunities for patient care. I now offer excellent patient care opportunities and require continuous learning, strategic planning, and the willingness to embrace risks. This shift necessitated a commitment to ongoing education, strategic foresight, and an openness to embracing new challenges.

The post Tinnitus Management and Telehealth: A Personal Journey to Innovation in Audiology appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

By Bopanna Ballachanda

This article is a part of the November/December 2024, Volume 36, Number 6, Audiology Today issue.

The production of cerumen, also known as earwax, is attributed to the apocrine and sebaceous glands in the ear canal’s cartilaginous section (Ballachanda, 2013; Schwartz et al, 2017). Initially, earwax presents as a transparent fluid, but its composition becomes darker due to the accumulation of hair follicles, dust, and epithelial tissue (Ballachanda, 2013). This substance serves a crucial protective function by safeguarding the ear against dust, dirt, and potentially harmful bacteria—a role that often goes unnoticed. Whereas much of the population produces wet or sticky earwax, a small percentage generates dry earwax (Ballachanda, 2013).

The post Earwax (Cerumen): Current Insights and Long-Term Implications appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

By Chiz Tamaki

This article is a part of the November/December 2024, Volume 36, Number 6, Audiology Today issue.

General Principles

Regardless of the skill level and preparation with which the student comes into the clinical rotation, they need repeated practice with timely and high-quality feedback to improve and eventually become self-sufficient. Generally, when the student has limited background knowledge, the integrative abilities develop slowly. The more pre-study and procedural practice the student has, the greater advantage
the student can take of the patient-facing experiences. You and the university program must agree on the goals of the placement and the prerequisite knowledge and skills a student must possess in order for the student to work within your clinical environment. 

The post Teaching Vestibular Clinical Skills appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

By Uzma S. Akhtar, Zahra Habibi, Michelle Hendrickson, Hannah Johnson, and Valeriy Shafiro

This article is a part of the November/December 2024, Volume 36, Number 6, Audiology Today issue.

Background

The prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss is expected to rise with the increased use of personal listening devices. Dillard et al (2022) estimated that, globally, more than one billion adolescents and young adults may be at risk for developing noise-induced hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss is typically associated with harmful occupational or recreational noise exposure that can manifest as hearing loss, tinnitus, hyperacusis, and difficulty understanding speech in challenging situations (Sheppard et al, 2020). 

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By Devon Weist, Virginia Milne, and Tricia Scaglione

This article is a part of the November/December 2024, Volume 36, Number 6, Audiology Today issue.

From Thursday, September 12 to Saturday, September 14, 2024, 12 remarkable mid-career audiologists from all over the country gathered at the American Academy of Audiology’s headquarters in Reston, VA, as the carefully selected Jerger Future Leaders of Audiology Conference (JFLAC) class of 2024. The conference was chaired by Drs. Devon Weist, Virginia Milne, and Tricia Scaglione and coordinated by staff liaison Rachael Sifuentes. The attendees spent three days exploring the Academy’s history, the roles of councils and chairs, and key strategies for effective leadership. The Academy leadership, many of whom are FLAC/JFLAC alumni, joined the 2024 cohort both in person and remotely to present and participate in planned activities and discussions.

The post ACADEMY NEWS | Trailblazers Unite: Reflections on the 2024 Jerger Future Leaders of Audiology Conference  appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

This article is a part of the November/December 2024, Volume 36, Number 6, Audiology Today issue.

Synchrony, on behalf of CareCredit, conducted the Hearing Health & Loss Prevention Research Study to help uncover insights into:

• Generational attitudes toward hearing health
• Perceptions and misconceptions of hearing loss and preventive care
• Motivators to prompting professional hearing assessment and care

Key study findings (Synchrony):

• 71 percent of consumers did not know the link between hearing loss and dementia. 
• Upon learning of the connection, 49 percent said that this affected their decision to get their hearing checked. 
• 58 percent of consumers with or at risk of hearing loss, but who do not use a device, like the idea of being able to finance the cost of one. 
• 86 percent of people who have hearing devices wish they have gotten them sooner.

For many consumers, cost remains a barrier to care. Accepting the CareCredit credit card can help you ease cost concerns and motivate more patients to move forward with your hearing care technology recommendations.

Click here to download the study for insights on how to connect with the next generation of patients.

The post ON TREND | CareCredit Is Here Today to Help More People Hear Tomorrow appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

This article is a part of the September/October  2024, Volume 36, Number 5, Audiology Today issue.

As I write my final message as President of the American Academy of Audiology, I am filled with a deep sense of honor. It has been a privilege to lead this esteemed organization, and I am grateful to each member for their trust in me. The path to this point has been long and challenging, but I firmly believe it was worth every step. I am proud of our collective achievements this year and hope that they fill you with a sense of pride and accomplishment, as they are a testament to our unity and shared dedication.

A primary focus during my presidency has been on membership. A significant achievement of this past year is the evaluation of the use of the Fellow title for American Academy of Audiology members. The history of how the Fellow title was selected is a moot point. The person(s) who proposed the title for membership likely had compelling and poignant reasons at that point in time. In the early days of the beginning of this great organization, a few dedicated pioneers had to implement a vision for establishing a new, strong home of, by, and for audiologists—the American Academy of Audiology.

As with any mature association, the American Academy of Audiology is ready to review and update its practices. One such change is the decision to eliminate the title of Fellow as a membership category. This decision was not made lightly, and I understand that it has raised concerns among some members. Some may feel a loss of identity, but I want to reassure you that being a member of the Academy still holds significant value. Your membership provides you with a range of benefits and opportunities and is vital to the Academy and its mission. This change is an effort to be transparent and to align the Academy with other professional associations. Our use of the Fellow term was misleading and could have been more accurate to the public as other organizations and disciplines use the term to distinguish achievements and accomplishments beyond joining an organization. We are an established and recognized organization, and membership of the Academy alone distinguishes you. 

However, the Academy leadership recognizes that members wish to have pathways to distinguish themselves further. The American Board of Audiology is the credentialing arm of the Academy and offers certificate programs and certifications. The American Board of Audiology will continue to update and expand its offerings, with more certifications available soon. We also have appointed a task force of members to develop a new program to recognize members for their achievements and higher levels of professional growth beyond simply being members. This new recognition system, which we are developing with great care and consideration, will not only uphold the value of our achievements but also provide a clear pathway for professional growth, aligning us with other professional organizations and fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose.

Another aspect of membership on which I focused my presidency was member engagement. Your role as a member is not just important, it is integral to the success of our organization. Your influence on the profession, your voice in legislative areas, and your participation are all crucial. Together, we can shape and develop evidence-based guidance for best practices and build an inclusive community of audiologists. We also need your help nurturing our early-career audiologists and students as future leaders prepared to tackle the profession’s challenges. To continue the legacy of one of the Academy’s leading pioneers, Dr. James Jerger, audiologists must be part of the Academy, participate in its activities, and bring to life the great organization he envisioned.

As my presidency winds down, I am hoping to convey the importance of embracing representation and diversity in the broadest sense across the Academy and our profession. Diversity does not mean only our ethnic backgrounds; it refers to what we do as health-care providers, our patients, our training to think deeply and differently, and our challenges to explore avenues to help solve hearing and balance issues. To highlight the concept of inclusion, we have an article in this series by Professor Joseph (2023) advocating for academicians to look at all education spectrums. Diversity of thinking refers to the concept that there is more than one way to think about something. Diversity can significantly affect an organization’s overall performance. Your unique perspectives and experiences make our profession diverse and valuable, and we are committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and respected. 

Again, being your president in 2023–2024 was an honor.  

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y Sarah Crow and Angela Shoup

This article is a part of the September/October  2024, Volume 36, Number 5, Audiology Today issue.

When a person is diagnosed with a hearing loss, the individual and/or their family may have many questions. Often, the first question is, why? Why did the hearing loss occur?

The post Genetics, Hearing Loss, and the Audiologist appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.