
An audiologist is a professional who is uniquely trained to identify, diagnose and provide non-medical treatment for disorders of hearing, balance or auditory processing. A qualified audiologist possesses a doctoral or master’s degree from an accredited university graduate program in audiology. An audiologist must also complete a full-time internship and pass a national certifying exam as well as maintain licensure to practice in their state.
Audiologists work with patients to combine history and symptoms with specialized testing procedures to determine cause and type of hearing or balance disorders. They also recommend and provide treatment options that may include use of hearing instruments, if indicated. Audiologists refer patients to physicians when it is determined that the hearing or balance problems may require medical or surgical intervention.
