Clinical Site

Within audiology, a relationship between academic programs and external clinical sites is necessary for students to meet experiential requirements.

Audiology's academic programs must rely on the generosity of local audiology practices and/or far-flung externship sites to be able to provide the necessary clinical experiences for their students.

• The majority of academic programs in audiology are not associated with hospital-based clinics or faculty practices. 
• Meanwhile, medical schools have access to teaching hospitals and faculty practices.
  
  

The most pressing issue identified was the timeline associated with the student application, interview, offer and acceptance process of the externship. 

• increased efficiency for clinics,
• reduce stress on students seeking a placement at our institutions.

The 2020-2021 trial commitment among institutions is strictly voluntary. 

• Join with us in adhering to this timeline. 
• We will solicit feedback from students, academic programs and externship sites in order to identify the challenges associated with the proposed timeline, and to determine areas for improvements.

Feasibility of standardizing other aspects of the externship process is being considered.

• Reporting requirements,
• timelines,
• assessing competencies, 
• standardized behaviors for the externship experience, and
• sharing of best practices.

Intent is to standardize those aspects of the externship process to:

• improve efficiency, 
• remove redundancies, and
• create positive outcomes for all.