Audiologist's Assistant Program
Frequently Asked Questions
The Audiologist's Assistants program is 100% distance learning. Students access a Web site that contains course resources such as the outline, self-quizzes and web-based self-tests and tutorials. The Web site allows the student to take tests on-line. Students need to have a Windows PC computer. Portions do not work on Mac computers.
The student can complete the training materials at his or her own pace. Six months are allotted to complete the course. A $75 fee will be assessed if the student does not complete the program in this time frame.
Flash videos provide the narrative course lectures. These are audio narrated Power Point shows. A copy of the power point slides is provided to the students.
The diagnostic testing portion includes a copy of the AudSim audiometer simulator that can be used free of charge for the duration of the course.
The simulator guides the student through the process of obtaining pure-tone air-conduction thresholds and has practice cases. The student is graded on accuracy of obtaining thresholds using this software.
Assignments are defined in the course materials. Some assignments are completed independently by the student (e.g. web-surfing and viewing photographs of normal and abnormal ear canals). Most assignments are completed in conjunction with the supervising audiologist at the student's work site.
There are two different modules; you can enroll in just one or in both courses. One is in diagnostic testing, one is in amplification.
Diagnostic-related tasks the assistant will be trained to complete are:
- Otoscopic inspection.
- Pure-tone air-conduction threshold testing on patients who have previously had a comprehensive audiological evaluation by an audiologist.
- Daily biological calibration checks.
- Infection control duties.
- Assisting the audiologist with testing children using visual reinforcement audiometry and play audiometry and distracting children during immittance testing.
- Setting up patients for electronystagmography/videonystagmography and auditory brainstem response testing. The student is NOT taught to conduct these tests.
- Otoscopic inspection
- Making impressions for earmolds/ hearing aid shells
- Modification of earmolds/shells
- Hearing aid troubleshooting
- Simple in-office repair and hearing aid cleaning
- Electroacoustic analysis of hearing aids
- Performing a hearing aid orientation - how to instruct the patient in basic care and use of the hearing aid (insertion, removal, adjusting volume, etc.)
- Completing basic paperwork such as repair forms, sales forms and warranty information
- Administering a hearing aid satisfaction form
- Discussing ALD options with patients
We respect the fact that your audiologist is responsible for all care provided to his or her patients, and has the duty to only delegate tasks that State law permits, and that the audiologist believes is appropriate in that situation. In order to receive the certificate of completion for the course, you need to successfully pass the exams even about topics that the audiologist doesn't want you to perform.
However, if the audiologist does not want to train you on a specific task, then the audiologist simply indicates that on the assignment form, and you will be given credit.
The student must have a supervising audiologist who sponsors the training and completes verification of student progress on clinical assignments.
Additionally the student needs to have:
- Windows 95, 98, XP or Vista computer
- Internet connection
- CD-ROM player installed in the computer
- Adobe Acrobat PDF viewer installed (viewer is free)