Ohio Academy of Audiology

Supervised Professional Experience Opportunities

	Are you an OAA member? If so, log in and sign up as a preceptor online. Not an OAA member? Download the Preceptor/Practice Information form as a Word doc or PDF, fill it out and email, fax or send it to us by US mail. Ohio audiology students: For a listing of professional experience opportunities, please click here.

Each of us contributes to our profession by providing excellent patient care in our respective practices. Additionally, some professionals contribute to the profession by becoming actively involved in the state or national academy as board members, committee members or regional liaisons. Still others contribute by providing insight and expertise on established task forces within the state and nationally. These are all valuable and significant contributions that help to secure audiology’s future. Yet, there is still one more opportunity for each of us to contribute…Open your practice door and become a preceptor to an Au.D. student.

The state of Ohio has four Au.D. programs: The Northeastern Ohio Au.D. Consortium (NOAC, a joint program of the University of Akron, Kent State University and the Cleveland Clinic), University of Cincinnati, Ohio University and The Ohio State University. The programs are located in Northeastern Ohio, Southwestern Ohio, Southeastern Ohio and Central Ohio.

The Ohio Academy of Audiology believes that our association has a responsibility to students in our Ohio Au.D. programs. To that end we are establishing a database on our website that will allow Au.D. students throughout the state to locate practices and preceptors where they might gain experience in different facets of audiology. Although the onus of teaching and preparation must come from our universities, the Academy believes that each of us has a responsibility to mentor and train those who will come after us. We would all agree that were it not for our “supervisors”, we would have been unable to complete our clinical training and succeed in our chosen profession.

Many of you may be thinking “What do I, or my practice, have to offer these students?” Some of you may be experts in vestibular evaluation and rehabilitation, while other practices may provide diagnostic services and hearing instrument selection and dispensing. Of course students must gain experience in all areas of audiology, but beyond this, a preceptor will discuss current developments in the field, discuss divergent points of view, relate topics to other disciplines and explain the basis for clinical actions and decisions. An effective preceptor will communicate clear goals and expectations and capture the student’s attention. As a preceptor you will be responsible to create a safe environment for professional growth.

The Academy believes that professionals will gain as much, if not more than the students, when they open their practice and become a preceptor. As students gain new skills and awareness of what it means to be a professional, the preceptors are rewarded with a sense of achievement when their student succeeds. As a preceptor you will help guide the student as they make the transition to professional practice. The relationships developed, and the intangible rewards you receive as a preceptor are immeasurable.

The first steps to become a preceptor are simple. If you are an OAA member, please log in and fill out the preceptor/practice information form online. Or if you would prefer, you can download the information form as a Word doc or PDF, complete the information, and Fax, Email or return via US Mail as directed on the bottom of the form.

Please complete the form even if you are currently a preceptor for students. This will allow us to include your information in the database. Your information will be included here on the official website of the Ohio Academy of Audiology.

Although we encourage all audiologists in the state to be members of the association, it is not required that you are a member to be involved in this program. Each university and student will be responsible to determine if information provided by the preceptor is current and accurate.

Take the next step to help secure audiology’s future... become a preceptor. Help mentor and train future audiologists. The Academy looks forward to receiving your information.