Program: Master of Science in Audiology
Audiology is a field I’d never even heard of until 2019, just two years before starting the program. I took a job working as an audiology clinic assistant on a whim and I fell in love with it. It’s a fantastic mix of science, creative problem solving and technology all centered around helping people with their hearing. That helping component was a huge factor for me. Communication, in its many forms, is such a huge part of our lives and I feel so grateful that I’m in a field where I get to spend my time helping people have better access to it and to better understand their hearing health.
Get close with your fellow students, learn from each other, and help each other. I was lucky enough to have a wonderful group of people to go through the program with. There are lots of stressful times and late nights but those connections with your cohort and their support make it all manageable. Don’t be afraid to lean on each other and be willing to learn from them with an open mind. Everyone is coming into the program with different backgrounds and experiences so there is a rich collection of different perspectives to learn from.
Every time I go into the clinic and prepare for my appointments or spend time with a patient, I think about what barriers they may be facing and what can I do to reduce or eliminate them. It may be something as simple as being flexible, and fitting someone in when they arrive late to an appointment because their only method of transportation is the bus, and it was delayed. Or being aware of resources and funding options in the community that may be beneficial. Or it could take the form of offering multiple methods of accessible communication in the clinic. As healthcare professionals, we interact with a wide demographic of individuals and it is our responsibility to meet their needs and work with them to provide equitable access to care.