President’s Message: Membership Value

As the president of the American Academy of Audiology, I ask myself every day—“what can we do/change to bring more value to the members? How can we engage our members? How can we be the go-to professional home for our members?”

Your Academy Board, councils, committees, individual volunteers and leaders, and staff consider these questions as well—as we listen to you, engage with you, and improve and enhance your member experience and benefits…in our daily work as well as in our long-term planning.

The American Academy of Audiology is a member-centric organization, whereby we put the needs and goals of the members ahead of the organization…and, we are a business that works to balance this reality while still supporting our members in the most conscientious manner possible. 

It’s the organization’s responsibility to articulate the membership value and benefits clearly. Hence, the members know exactly what their membership gives them, making them fully appreciate what the organization provides.

Working more efficiently is a member-centric activity that gives members a smoother experience and frees our staff time to focus on delivering even greater member value.

The focus of my presidency is member value and engagement. There is power in numbers when we seek change for our profession. We are aware that members’ needs and expectations evolve as they move through their careers and we want to provide a valuable and positive experience every step of the way. 

I believe in creating new member value—benefits and services that align with members’ needs. Even if we have to sunset and/or revise programs that have worked for years, and/or create new products and services that better meet your needs today. The board and I regularly review member feedback and fine-tune the Academy offerings to better the member experience. 

When you get a survey or a request from the Academy about a process, please take a few minutes to answer the survey questions or respond to the request. With your input, the Academy leadership has more to work with regarding members’ needs. The Academy is always looking for ways to disseminate information to its members in multiple ways.

The American Academy of Audiology provides a breadth of information, resources, connections, and learning experiences for audiologists in all practice settings and years of experience. We are your audiology community, a place that fights for audiologists and their scope of practice, and a place that welcomes students and new professionals.

Here are a few ways we provide value to you…

• Advocacy—Be a part of shaping decisions and educating policy-makers about audiology, hearing and balance care, and how vital we are to overall patient care.
• Coding and Reimbursement—Get access to Medicare FAQs, Physician Fee Schedule updates, articles, resources, and more.
• Clinical Guideline and Strategic Documents—Stay updated on the latest position statements, expert consensus documents, and scope of practice.  
• Career Resources—Find a job or externship, learn how to negotiate your salary, and have your resume reviewed…we are here for you.
• Jerger Future Leaders of Audiology Conference—Gain leadership skills and long-term connections.
• Research Grants in Hearing and Balance—Apply now with deadlines on February 15 and March 15 and up to $20,000 in awards.
• Journal of the American Academy of Audiology—Find the latest research and case studies with eFirst publication.
• Audiology Today—Get six comprehensive issues of best practice articles and opinion editorials on the latest audiology topics.
• Foundation Scholarships—Apply by April 30 with an easy universal application…six scholarship awards for students of all backgrounds.

The list goes on…and we are regularly updating, improving, and working to make sure we are relevant to you and your needs.

We are only 70 days away for our big in-person event and I look forward to meeting you all at the AAA2024+HearTECH Expo, April 17-20, in Atlanta, Georgia…where you will connect with, learn from, and enjoy the company of so many fellow audiologists and audiology students. Register by February 16 and save!

These member benefits separate the American Academy of Audiology from other organizations. The Academy works collectively toward a greater good for our community and our profession…this is unique and different and you won’t find or experience this anywhere else! 

Thank you for your continued membership and commitment to our organization and this community. If you have not yet renewed your Academy membership, it is not too late…renew by February 29 to continue your benefits and being part of this unique and relevant organization.

Bopanna Ballachanda, PhD
President of the American Academy of Audiology