Audiologists are health care professionals who identify, assess, and manage disorders of hearing, balance, and other neural systems.
What is a qualified audiologist?
An audiologist is a licensed health professional with a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s or Doctorate degree.
The audiologist is the highest-trained individual in the diagnosis, testing, evaluation, and rehabilitation of non-medical hearing loss (that is, hearing loss that is not associated with disease).
Is an audiologist considered a specialist?
The short answer is no, audiologists are not medical doctors.
Audiologists do not have to earn a doctorate degree to practice audiology.
But, they do not undergo full medical training. In addition to their degree, audiologists can earn certificates in their field or specialize in certain areas.
Tasks and duties
Evaluating hearing, speech, and language performance in patients to determine the nature of hearing and communication disorders
Administering hearing or speech/language tests or other examinations using specialized diagnostic instruments and equipment, and interpreting test results alongside other medical, social, and behavioral diagnostic data to determine appropriate courses of treatment
Planning, directing, and participating in counseling, screening, speech rehabilitation, and other programs related to hearing and communication
Prescribing hearing aids and other assistive devices according to patients’ needs and instructing them in their use
Planning and conducting treatment programs to manage physical disorders affecting speech and swallowing
Counseling and guiding hearing and/or language-impaired individuals, their families, teachers, and employers
Referring patients and families to additional medical or educational services if needed.
The salary range for the majority of workers in Audiologists and speech therapists – from GH₵1,218.98 to GH₵4,581.38 per month.
Audiologists and speech therapists evaluate, manage and treat physical disorders affecting human hearing, speech, communication, and swallowing.
They prescribe corrective devices or rehabilitative therapies for hearing loss, speech disorders, and related sensory and neural problems and provide counseling on hearing safety and communication performance.
How many years does it take to become an audiologist?
four years from schools to hospitals. All new audiologists are required to have a doctor of audiology (AuD) degree. Typically it takes four years to complete this post-graduate degree.
The majority of students who are admitted to AuD programs have an undergraduate degree in communication sciences and disorders.