MM209 - Continuing Education for Pediatric Audiologists: What’s Available Now, and What Do Audiologists Want?

Abstract:
Pediatric audiologists must stay abreast of the latest advances in evidence-based clinical practice to ensure the highest quality of care for children with hearing loss. To meet this need, Hearing First has created a professional education program for pediatric audiologists. Currently, this program offers high-quality online learning experiences for which pediatric hearing healthcare providers may receive continuing education credits at no cost. This mini-module will provide an overview of this program and will explore the specific areas in which pediatric hearing healthcare providers desire additional information and training to better serve children with hearing loss.   

Summary:
Pediatric audiologists must stay abreast of the latest advances in evidence-based clinical practice to ensure the highest quality of care for infants and children with hearing loss. To meet this need, as well as to address the crisis of capacity of pediatric audiology, Hearing First (an internet-based digital ecosystem that supports families and professionals to help children with hearing loss have the opportunity to take advantage of access to sound to power their full potential) has created a professional education program for pediatric audiologists as one solution. Currently, this program offers high-quality online learning experiences for which pediatric hearing healthcare providers may receive continuing education credits at no cost.

Incorporating best practices in online adult learning, Hearing First Learning Experiences typically include a combination of recorded lectures and live sessions, the latter of which allows professionals to engage with world-class subject matter experts in pediatric hearing healthcare. Implementing a variety of learning experience formats varying in intensity and depth for learners, webinars will also be offered to highlight trending areas of interest in pediatric audiology. This presentation will provide the participant with a detailed overview of the professional education opportunities available at no cost to audiology professionals at Hearing First. Also, this presentation will provide a summary of Hearing First’s considerations for future pediatric audiology learning initiatives. Additionally, this presentation will include interactive audience participation (i.e., real-time, online polling via a mobile-phone-based survey application) to identify and highlight the specific areas in which pediatric hearing healthcare providers desire additional information and training to better serve infants and children with hearing loss.