PP204 - Externship Trends in Audiology

POSTERS

Location: Halls A1-A2

Instructional Level: Fundamental

Lead Presenter(s)

Mallory A. Sellens

Doctor of Audiology Student
California State University, Sacramento
California State University, Sacramento
Antelope, California

Disclosure(s): No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

PDF Handouts Slides

Presenter(s)

Nikki D. Dutta

Doctor of Audiology Student
California State University, Sacramento
Elk Grove, California

Disclosure(s): No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

PDF Handouts Slides
Soumya Venkitakrishnan, AuD, PhD

Assistant Professor
California State University, Sacramento
California State University, Sacramento, California

Disclosure(s): No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

PDF Handouts Slides

Abstract: The final year of an audiology doctoral student involves an externship, wherein the student works full-time receiving comprehensive clinical training in different aspects of audiology. These placements are often researched and selected by the student. However, specific details on externship sites are not easily accessible to prospective externs. The purpose of this study was to gather data on trends in externships using responses from current externs and recent graduates to create an accessible repository. This poster will discuss the common trends in logistical details, clinical experiences provided, support from preceptors, research experiences, expectations from students, and other pertinent externship details.

Summary: For an audiology doctoral student, their final year involves a clinical externship, where they receive full-time comprehensive training in different areas of audiology. Searching for an appropriate externship placement based on students’ interests, and clinical needs is a daunting process, further complicated by the unavailability of consistent and standard information about the site, which may introduce unease in committing to sites. Previous studies have explored externs’ experiences in obtaining their p</span>lacements, their preparedness for externships, and value in the experience (McNamara, 2014). However, students take several other factors into consideration when choosing their externship, e.g., clinical opportunities provided, supervision styles, research opportunities, pay, interprofessional collaboration, breadth of experiences provided, patient populations etc. The nuances of different extern sites and experiences may not be answerable in the interview process, or available on the advertised websites, thus introducing the need for more accessibility regarding information on placements. The purpose of our current work was to compile comprehensive data that captures the current and emerging trends of audiology externship sites. Researchers dispersed a Qualtrics survey that explored the unique characteristics of sites and challenges and experiences of current externs or recent graduates. Using collected responses from across the United States, this study aims to create an informative database accessible through an easily navigable platform, like the popular "Rate My Professor" website. This database may serve as a valuable resource to prospective externs while helping to foster a community among audiology professionals. By providing a centralized repository of experiences and insights, the database aspires to empower audiology students and professionals in selecting externship opportunities that align with their educational and professional aspirations. Currently, we have over 250 completed responses which includes information about 200 externship sites in the US across 42 states. Despite state-specific variation, externships usually averaged 12 months, 5 days per week, and 8 hours per day. Among clinical experiences, routine audiological testing and hearing aid consultations were the most prevalent, while group rehabilitation and intraoperative monitoring experiences were rare, with only 0.84% and 1.06 % of respondents reporting such experiences, respectively. Most students reported having various clinical rotations such as implantation, vestibular testing, and a mixture of pediatrics and adults. Information gathered about preceptors showed that most had an Au.D., while some had their MAs. Feedback about the support offered to the externs varied among sites but feedback about supervisors was generally positive. Compensation was received by 82.66% of our respondents and ranged from as low as $10,000 to over $60,000 annually, with 32.96% also reporting healthcare and/ or other benefits. Interprofessional collaboration was reported most often with otolaryngologists. Most of the respondents also reported that they were offered research opportunities at their externships. We will also provide information about what students consider the strengths and weaknesses of various externships, which helps determine their expectations from externships. We hope this data may serve as a good resource for prospective externs in selecting a fitting placement.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion, participants will be able to identify externship characteristics for audiology externships in the US based on feedback provided by current externs and recent graduates.
Upon completion, participants will be able to compare audiology externship characteristics among different regions in the US (Northeast, Southwest, West, Southeast, and Midwest) based on the experiences offered.
Upon completion, participants will be able to evaluate the advantages and challenges of externship sites as perceived by externs.