The Audiologist
“Hi, my name is Mitra, and I’m an Audiologist”
Most of you would probably ask me after I’ve introduced myself is either “What’s an Audiologist?” or “Sorry, what did you say? I didn’t hear that?” whether it’s inside the Hearing Excellence Clinic or during my off hours, I’m asked these questions often. The latter of the two questions is a very common joke. It’s definitely not the first time I’ve heard that phrase and I am 100% certain it won’t be the last time either!
The first question, though, is also very common. In fact, it’s so common that I’m actually surprised when someone says “Oh I know what that is!” I almost have to stop myself from launching into an explanation. I find myself giving a very general description of what to expect from an Audiologist “I test, diagnose, and treat hearing loss”. This answer is usually enough for anyone asking me about what I do that they are satisfied.
But, of course, there is so much more to the field of Audiology that can affect one’s quality of life in so many different ways. In fact, as clinicians, we are also trained for pediatrics, central auditory processing disorder, earwax management and much more. I felt that if I ever wanted to write about what the scope of Audiology really contains, it would fill up entire bookshelves! Many of the colleagues that I work with agree with me. There are so many areas of specialty within the field that each of the clinicians within one hearing practice may have various expertise that remain unknown to most people. That is, unless someone comes across the specific subject or issue in their own lives. Nowadays, there is so much involved in hearing healthcare that, at times, it can feel like you’re navigating through a maze without a map to point you in the right direction.
This is why, within the company of Hearing Excellence, we have collectively decided to create this writing platform. A place where we can talk about hearing issues. An opportunity for our team to talk about what is involved in the practice of Audiology. A voice for the patients and clients we encounter who have become experienced in specific hearing issue and how to prepare. A link to the latest breakthroughs in hearing science and how that affects our everyday lives. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to navigate through the maze of such a broad field? We certainly thought so.
We, at Hearing Excellence, wanted to create a channel where we are able to give the inside story about what happens within the hearing clinic so that you can successfully manage your hearing healthcare. We want to gather the information gleaned from within and outside of the hearing clinic to help you have a better understanding about this field. We hope to give you the necessary tools needed so that, if you are ever experiencing hearing related issues, you have the knowledge of what you can do about it and where you can go to seek treatment. The ultimate goal here is to provide you with what you need to know about the hearing profession to make better hearing health choices, and what affect your hearing health can have on your quality of life.
In this blog, I’m going to be discussing many different topics relating to the field of Audiology. Many of the topics, such as the client-care experiences, or diagnostic outcomes will be shared knowledge from myself as well as from the Hearing Excellence Team of Clinicians. Our knowledge is derived from our many years of experience in the field. Other times, when discussing the profession from the perspective of others, looking into the latest advances in the field, or the many roadblocks encountered by the industry, I will be bringing in the voices of other knowledgeable persons that work closely within those subject areas.
One of the most exciting and anticipated segments of this blog will be dedicated to the voices of our many patients and clients who would like to share their own experiences and thoughts on the subject of hearing healthcare. We especially wanted this last segment included in our blog because we identify strongly with the client-centered care model where the client experience comes first when talking about any hearing related issue. Improving the quality of life for every patient or client is, in fact, the whole basis behind providing hearing healthcare, and it is what drives us to continue to grow the Audiological profession.
Lastly, I hope you enjoy reading this blog as much as I enjoy writing about the field that I’m very passionate about.
