Sounds of Life Hearing Center, LLC is accepting applications for ONE 4th-Year AuD Externship in Concord Township, OH.

Sounds of Life Hearing Center, a 3-provider private practice in Concord Township, Ohio (located about 40 minutes east of Cleveland), is seeking a 4th Year Extern with a heart for giving, a dedicated and driven spirit, and a growth mindset for the 2023-2024 academic year. This externship offers a plethora of experiences in all clinical areas except vestibular and would provide experience in not only clinical services but also in community engagement and practice management.

Best-practice care and services are provided to all ages – pediatrics and adults. This includes: diagnostic testing (audiometry, multi-frequency and wideband immittance, DPOAEs, ABR, ASSR, and other auditory evoked potentials); hearing aid services (real ear measures, electroacoustic evaluation, unbundled service models, assistive devices, hearing aid trials); hearing loss/aural rehabilitative options; community and off-site diagnostics, screenings, and hearing aid services (in senior communities and schools); cochlear implant services (evaluations, MAPpings, follow up care); CAPD (testing and intervention, including both audiologist-administered and computer/app-based auditory training); and tinnitus evaluations and rehabilitation (including the Lenire tinnitus treatment device). We emphasize “whole-patient” audiology and utilize a shared-decision-making model of care.

Our audiologists, headed by our owner, Sarah Curtis, Au.D., are passionate about high-quality precepting treat the 4th year as educational. Externs are not expected to practice independently or generate their own separate revenue. They are immersed in the daily needs of the practice including but not limited to: community outreach; social media, and physician marketing; billing, coding, and insurance; administrative tasks (in coordination with our patient care coordinator); and program growth & development. We also precept third-year students from local universities.

Though we do not see our externs as “staff”, this position is salaried at $1,500/month to assist with living expenses. Additionally, externs are eligible for a QSEHRA (qualifiying small employers health reimbursement account) of up to $250 post-tax per month. There may be opportunities for profit-sharing bonuses if team goals are met.

This would not be an appropriate placement if you hope to gain experience in vestibular services.

Our Audiologists do NOT have certification by ASHA. If your program requires ASHA  certification, we are unable to do so.

Dr. Curtis is ABA Certified and is a Certificate Holder in Tinnitus Management.

Goals and Activities:

Diagnostic:

• Determine appropriate test battery for each patient based on their age, ability, and complaints
• Master standard audiometry, including masking, word recognition testing
• Perform and interpret immittance testing including multi-frequency and wideband tympanometry, acoustic reflex threshold and decay testing) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions
• Perform and interpret newborn diagnostic measurements including chirp ABR, ASSR, DPOAE’s, tympanometry and wideband acoustic immittance.
• Comfortably perform behavioral testing on pediatric, differently abled, and/or difficult-to-test patients including VRA and CPA as well as subjective measures
• Organize, perform, score and interpret an auditory processing test battery for both children and adults
• Conduct audiological and needs evaluation for patients with tinnitus
• Independently assess patients for cochlear implant candidacy
• Interpret results of test battery and identify approximate site of lesion and areas of concern
• Identify need for outside evaluation (vestibular/balance, ENT, etc.)
• Be familiar with common chronic diseases and genetic syndromes, and identify ways in which they can cause, affect, or be affected by hearing loss

Amplification/Rehabilitation:

• Practice “whole-patient” audiological care and use shared decision making in development of care plans
• Be knowledgeable about and independent in selecting the appropriate hearing aids (style, technologies, appropriate acoustic coupling), manufacturer benefits and limitations, clean and basic in-house repair techniques
• Formulate treatment plans that extend beyond hearing aids (i.e. implantable devices, low- and high-tech accessories, strategies, therapies, auditory training, etc.)
• Perform hearing aid test measures such as on-ear and test-box verification; measure real ear to coupler difference values; and interpret the results of these tests as they may pertain to both amplification and auditory system function
• Counsel parents on newborn diagnostic results including childhood hearing loss, hearing technologies, growth and development, and aural rehabilitation.
• Perform mapping tasks based on patient needs, and counsel patients on outcome measures (qualitative and quantitative).
• Create rehabilitation plan for auditory processing disorders
• Develop effective treatment plans for auditory processing disorders and tinnitus utilizing direct remediation, compensatory strategies, environmental modifications and integrating innovative technologies (such as the Lenire tinnitus treatment device, Amptify, or Acoustic Pioneer auditory training)
• Be comfortable with recommendation of and able to program and counsel on use of hearing aid accessories and remote microphone technologies

Practice Details:

Staff:

• 1 Full Time Owner/Audiologist
• 2 Full Time Staff Audiologists
• 1 Contract Audiologist (0.2 FTE)
• 2 Patient Care Staff Members
• 1 4th-Year Audiology Extern
• 1 Rotating 3rd-Year Audiology Extern

Location:

8007 Auburn Road, Suite 1Concord Township, OH 44077

*The practice will be moving to a brand-new, larger office on the same property in Fall 2023!*

(440) 579-4085

https://www.soundsoflifehc.com

Position Details:

Term of Placement: May/June 2023-May/June 2024

Schedule: ~40 hours/week (8am-5pm Monday-Thursday, 8am-5pm Friday, with rare evening or weekend hours for special events)

Salary: $1,500/month ($18,000 annualized) paid twice monthly via direct deposit

Benefits: Eligible for up to $250/month in QSEHRA reimbursement (tax-free)

Time Off:

• 10 days PTO
• 5 days Sick Leave
• 10 Paid Holidays

See posting on Hear Careers:

https://hearcareers.audiology.org/jobs/19044884