Career as Audiologists & Future Prospects

Hearing aids are getting better and better with each passing day. Traditional tools are being replaced with new and advanced ones. It is the age of computers and the same can be witnessed in audiologist's career as well. With the advent of advanced computer technology, hearing aids have evolved to become only more effective and enjoyable. But, what about a career as an audiologist? Have you ever considered this career and the future prospects it holds? The career of an audiologist brings a lot of opportunities for professionals. While working as an audiologist, you will be spending much of your time out of office. As part of your duty, you might spend time visiting a hospital clinic, a school or a store that sells hearing aids. What's more, if your take this career seriously and dedicatedly, you might also be a part of a team conducting researches on the upcoming set of hearing aids.

Besides being profitable, an audiologist's career also proves to be quite fulfilling. During your career you would be helping people with impaired hearing. Another important plus point with the career of an audiologist is that there is not much competition. The field of audiology has average job growth but career opportunities are never scarce for the right candidate. To become an audiologist, the candidate requires holding a degree in audiology. The profession of an ear technician should not be confused with that of an audiologist.

Roles and Responsibilities of Audiologists
The patient of an audiologist can range from a severely deaf child to an elderly person with impaired hearing. So, what are the roles and responsibilities of an audiologist? The audiologist is responsible to optimize a child (who is severely deaf) and train him on how to use the surgically implanted cochlear implant. Since the child has never used the aid, it is the duty of the audiologist to help the child use it as well as optimize the device as per the child's specific requirements. At other times, the audiologist may be examining an 80-year-old patient who has impaired hearing. The audiologist's duty is to examine the case and provide an analysis so as to help the physician. On the one hand, you counsel patients who suffer from various kinds of hearing difficiencies. On the other, you might be telling a patient that all they need to do is get the excess earwax removed and they will be OK.

Audiologists may choose to specialize in the treatment of hearing deficiencies. Others may decide to prevent workers and laborers from getting any kind of hearing impairment. In the latter case, audiologists would be visiting workplaces and check the noise levels. As part of their job, audiologists also organize hearing protection programs in factories, schools and communities among others.

Educational Background, Training & Certifications
More than 100 universities in the U.S. offer graduate programs in the field of audiology. Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) is the highest degree offered by American universities. Candidates who get themselves enrolled in graduate programs will be taught subjects like anatomy, physiology, genetics, physics, neural system assessment, pharmacology etc. To gain a competitive edge over others and to advance their audiologists career, candidates can also acquire certifications from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The institute awards passing candidates with Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A). Candidates can also earn eminent certification from the American Board of Audiology.

Whether you aspire to acquire a graduate degree in audiology, a master's in audiology or a doctoral degree, you have numerous accredited colleges and universities in America offering degree programs in audiology. The Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree is offered by around 39 universities in the U.S. Before you sit for a certification examination, do remember to check the eligibility criteria. For acquiring certifications from the American Board of Audiology, candidates need to possess a master's or a doctoral degree in audiology along with 2,000 hours of professional practice under a licensed audiologist.

Audiologists Career Outlook
With the growth in population and life expectancy rate, the future prospects for audiologists very bright. Older age groups suffer from various types of hearing problems. Though the job of an audiologist does not demand physical effort, it requires a lot of attention and concentration. Usually, audiologists work regular hours - 40 hours a week. Full time, part time or contract basis work options are available for professionals. Qualified and experienced audiologists can easily land jobs in physician offices, hospitals, healthcare facilities, educational services, scientific research and development etc. As per the new standard (through the year 2012), candidates will need to be equipped with a doctoral degree in audiology to establish their career.

Annual Salary of Audiologists
Experienced audiologists can earn an average annual salary of around $62,200. Depending on the years of experience, the career of an audiologist can earn him an annual salary ranging anywhere between $57,700 and $81,200. With a degree in audiology and some necessary certifications, the audiologist can look forward to earning even more salary.