What is an Audiologist?

An audiologist is a healthcare professional who diagnoses, manages and treats hearing loss and balance disorders. Audiologists have undergone extensive training and are skilled to treat patients of all ages, from newborns and children to adults. Most have earned a doctor of audiology degree from an accredited university, though some opt for a Ph.D. or Master’s degree.

Audiologists have a diverse range of duties. These include:

• Assess candidacy for implantable hearing devices such as cochlear implants, bone anchored hearing aids and auditory brainstem implants
• Conduct research on hearing and balance disorders
• Counsel patients and their families on effective listening and communication strategies
• Design and implement hearing conservation programs and newborn hearing screening programs
• Examine and test patients with hearing and balance disorders
• Fit and dispense hearing aids
• Perform hearing-related surgical monitoring
• Provide hearing rehabilitation training

Audiologists may specialize in working with certain groups of people, such as infants or senior citizens.

For patients experiencing hearing loss, an audiologist is the most qualified individual to treat their condition. No other professional possesses the education, skills and training of an audiologist, and few provide the level of follow-up care necessary to ensure the ongoing success of patients with hearing loss.