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10/10/2015  |   2:15 PM - 3:00 PM   |  Andrew Foster Auditorium

A Model for Training Audiology-Proficiency Personnel

There is a critical shortage of audiology service providers and nowhere is this need greater than in the developing world. It has been reported that the ratio of audiologists to the general population ranges from one for every 6.25 million persons to one for every half a million persons. Lack of access to hearing health care is an addition to the global burden of hearing loss that can be overcome by accessing modern technology and unique training models. Audiology as a discipline is composed of many critical aspects of basic and clinical sciences. As a profession, audiology is young and dynamic. In North America and many other developed regions of the world, the profession is distinct as is the training. Training ancillary hearing care personnel in the knowledge and skills required to provide basic diagnostic and intervention techniques is one way to meet this challenge. However, it is imperative that the standards of care provided to the hearing impaired persons are consistent with the best possible care that can be afforded within the infrastructure of the region. Therefore appropriate education and training of the hearing health personnel is pivotal in transferring the standards of care in an effective manner. The key elements to delivering appropriate standard of care include efficient, effective and consistent practices and this presentation will reflect upon the training in core competencies that can advance the process of this training. Central to improving access and quality is the recruitment and retention of the hearing care providers. This presentation will offer recommendations for a basic curriculum for training of ancillary personnel to provide hearing services as well as a tiered model of Learn-while-you-work, so that clinical competencies and sustainability can be achieved even at the non-traditional levels of training hearing care providers.

• Attendees will gain an overall perspective on the global needs for hearing care providers
• Attendees will understand a tiered model of educational training to increase capacity and capabilities in under-served regions of the world, while maintaining standards of competency

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Giri Sundar (POC,Primary Presenter), Salus University, girija.sundar@gmail.com;
Dr. Girija Sundar is Director of Distance Education and Assistant Professor, Salus University Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. Dr. Sundar is responsible for the Distance Education initiatives including Advanced Studies Certificate Programs, the second generation online AuD-Bridge degree Program for audiologists in the USA and international audiology community and International Hybrid MSc in Clinical Audiology Program. In her current capacity, she is responsible for developing academic programs for practicing clinicians across the world. Dr, Sundar had a clinical practice in Audiology and Hearing aids for over 25 years in Northern New Jersey. Dr. Sundar’s worked as director of business development for Starkey International and was based in India for three years from 2006. Dr. Sundar was awarded a PhD and MPhil in Hearing Sciences from City University of New York, M.S. in Communication Disorders/Audiology and B.S. degree in Speech Pathology from William Patterson College, Wayne, NJ