School of Audiology

Faculty

Introduction

The School of Audiology offers an innovative and accelerated three-year professional curriculum leading to the Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree. The inaugural cohort of students matriculated with the Fall 2012 semester and graduated in August, 2015.

Doctors of Audiology

As audiologists, Doctors of Audiology provide hearing and balance healthcare by evaluating, diagnosing, treating, and managing individuals of all ages who have hearing and balance disorders and related issues. Treatment and management of hearing loss may involve dispensing hearing aids and other related hearing assistive technology as part of a wide range of treatment options. Doctors of Audiology may work in a variety of settings, including private practice, hospitals and medical centers, medical offices and multi-specialty outpatient clinics, hearing-related industries, universities, research labs, military branches, hearing conservation programs, newborn hearing screening and intervention programs, government agencies, school systems, and more.

Mission

A mission statement defines what an organization is – in essence, why it exists or its reason for being. The School of Audiology’s central mission is to prepare Doctors of Audiology in an innovative educational environment who are clinically outstanding, committed to life-long learning, and leaders in their community and profession.

Vision

A vision statement identifies what an organization would like to achieve or accomplish – its “north star.” The School of Audiology’s compelling vision is to continually create and advance new standards in audiology education that answer a global need for compassionate and exceptional audiologic care, thereby improving the quality of life for individuals and communities throughout the world.

Core Themes and Values

A core theme or value is a principle that guides an organization’s actions and objectives. The School of Audiology’s guiding themes are focused on four core areas: discovery, excellence, inclusion, and caring. Those four essential principles help define our fundamental values of exploration and innovation, education and leadership, collaboration and community, and compassion and advocacy.

Program Purpose and Goals

A purpose or goal is a broad statement of what an organization plans to accomplish. The School of Audiology remains committed to its primary purpose to prepare well-rounded and highly competent Doctors of Audiology who are ready to assume autonomous professional responsibilities in a variety of practice settings and become leaders in their communities. Supporting goals are being explored in the following areas: research doctorate program, specialty clinics, interprofessional education and practice, research and grant opportunities, community partnerships, clinic/lab/classroom integration, student mentorship, preceptor development, and outreach/service activities. Specific goals that may be developed as part of the school’s strategic planning initiatives will be evaluated to ensure that they remain aligned with our purpose (mission), focused on our north star (vision), and guided by our principles (core themes and values).

Student Learning Objectives

An objective is a specific statement of the intended outcomes of an organization’s purpose and goals. With our program’s purpose always in focus, our intent is that our students will achieve the following learning objectives:

Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of, and apply skills across, the scope of practice of Audiology
Describe and apply evidence-based best practices in interprofessional patient-centered care as applied to the practice of Audiology
Identify professional development activities and goals that are applicable to their future careers as Doctors of Audiology

Curriculum Overview

The Doctor of Audiology program curriculum prepares students across the audiologic scope of practice through a combination of rigorous didactic courses and outstanding applied clinical experiences. The faculty is committed to fostering integration of knowledge, critical thinking, professional and ethical behavior, interprofessional competence and collaboration, and the utilization of evidence-based principles for the practice of audiology. We are equally committed to fostering among our students a spirit of life-long professional learning, a commitment to service, and a desire to contribute to the advancement of the profession.

The curriculum is based on a modified-block design, which allows the sequential delivery of the majority of courses in compressed blocks of study, rather than the more traditional design in which multiple courses are taught at the same time over the course of a semester. Some of the didactic courses and the clinical practica and fieldwork are offered on alternative schedules or as semester-long courses. Students are not assigned letter grades but, instead, are assigned grades of either Pass (P) or No Pass (N) based on achievement of 85% or more of stated competencies. Both didactic and clinical competencies are evaluated frequently throughout the program through various formative and summative assessments.

Students attend the program on a year-round basis (fall, spring, and summer semesters), typically for three years. The first two years of the program blend didactic course work with clinical practicum experiences. During the first year, students have weekly clinical assignments, which may be on campus in the School of Audiology’s Pacific EarClinic and/or off-campus in the greater Portland commuting area (up to about a 1-2-hour drive). During the second year, the students complete three multi-week clinical internships, which may be anywhere in the country.* The third year of the program is composed of a one-year clinical externship at an off-campus practice setting, which may also be anywhere in the country,* and is designed to refine and solidify clinical competencies at professional levels. For both internships and externships, international placements may be possible for selected students. The clinical experiences are supported by weekly seminars and labs, which help integrate didactic and clinical knowledge and offer information and activities which enhance acquisition of knowledge and skills. (*Clinical placements cannot be guaranteed in any particular area; placements are dependent on clinical affiliation agreements, state requirements, educational needs, and other factors).

Teaching and Simulation Labs

Our audiology teaching and simulation labs are among the best anywhere. The two lab areas include several stations for practicing with a variety of equipment, materials, and techniques, including those for audiologic and balance assessment, video-otoscopy, auditory brainstem response testing, amplification programming, ear impressions, and cerumen management. The lab assignments provide both in-class activities and after-class practice and help our students develop and hone their clinical skills and prepare for their clinical proficiency examinations.

Pacific EarClinic

The School of Audiology’s on-site Pacific EarClinic helps meet the hearing and balance healthcare needs of the community while providing rich clinical education experiences for our students. Working in our state-of-the-art clinic under the supervision of the school’s faculty and staff, all of whom are licensed audiologists, our doctoral audiology students receive an invaluable introduction to evidence-based best practices and professional-level engagement.

Interprofessional Engagement

As a complement to the Doctor of Audiology program curriculum, students in the first year of the program also participate in an, interprofessional competency course and interprofessional case conferences alongside students from other health professions programs. These components help develop the ability to work in today’s interprofessional healthcare environment and add an enriching and collegial experience to the program. Our students also have the opportunity of earning an optional concentration in Interprofessional Education, which is noted on the transcript.

Equitable Treatment

The School of Audiology, along with the entire Pacific University community, is committed to providing equitable treatment for all — students, faculty, staff, patients, colleagues, community members, visitors, and all other constituents and guests. Everyone is welcome here. As part of that commitment, please also see the university’s Notice of Nondiscrimination in the catalog’s introduction section.

Accreditation

The doctoral AuD program is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard #310, Rockville, Maryland 20850, 800-498-2071 FREE or 301-296-5700.

College of Health Professions and the Hillsboro Campus – Our Home

The School of Audiology is located on Pacific University’s Hillsboro Campus in the Health and Education District of Hillsboro, Oregon. A part of the university’s College of Health Professions, which is home to several outstanding health professions programs, the School of Audiology is housed in a convenient medical office building adjacent to the campus. Hillsboro is about 18 miles west of Portland, Oregon, known as the City of Roses, and is within easy driving distance of the Oregon Coast, the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Hood and the Cascade Range, and the Willamette Valley, one of Oregon’s leading wine regions.

Programs

Doctor of Audiology

Audiology, AuD

Courses

Audiology