serena8976
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- Jul 17, 2018
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I'm not even half way through my Au.D program at this point and I have so many doubts and frustrations about this field I don't even know where to begin. I am so disheartened for my future in this profession. I don't even know if this post will do all my thoughts/feelings about audiology justice so here goes nothing...
1) Our salary is pathetic - for how long we're now in school + all the additional training it's crazy to think we'll be lucky even reaching $80k. So many people have just accepted this- BUT WHY!? We deserve so much better! I don't think its rude at all to want a higher salary. This also plays into my next point.
2) We are not 'doctors' by any means- sure we have a doctorate but our scope of practice hasn't changed much. I'm just going to say it, this should just be a master's program. Salary is so ****ty a dental hygienist honestly makes more. I abandoned the whole idea of being a 'doctor' long ago, we don't even come close.
3) Does anyone else not even feel that challenged by their Au.D program? Some kids in my class seem to be sliding by, I don't think we'd see this in an optometry program. The kids in my program complain nonstop the second they are challenged, I'm always frustrated by this.
4) I can only say so much because my undegrad was in CSD, but as I'm learning more in my Au.D program it is clear we need a 'hard' science background. How can we really expect to get the same respect as Optometrists/Podiatrists/Dentists/PTs/OTs if we have no hard science background! I've literally been trying to teach myself genetics and pharmacology. How can we really compete with these other professionals and gain the respect I do believe we deserve if our education was so much 'easier.' Let's be real the GRE isn't that hard, nothing compared to the MCAT/DAT/OAT. I'm sure many of us ended up in audiology because we initially wanted to be an SLP and it is difficult to change majors as college progress. I regret not picking up a biology minor but I can only blame myself for not taking that initiative.
5) Is it just me or was it not even that hard to get into grad school?? I graduated with my CSD degree (with honors) and surely did not do the work of my friends in bio and kinesiology. Again, how can we want to same level of respect as other medical/health professions when our education can't even touch the work MDs/DOs/ODs/PharmDs have put in?
6) Literally EVERYTHING we do can be done by someone with less education. Why would an ENT pay more for an audiologist in a practice when a hearing aid dispenser can be hired at half the cost and the ENT can just interpret the results. Seriously all we do is refer to them anyway, we can't do **** except hope the ENT fixes whatever problem there is then just throw an over-priced hearing aid on the person.
7) No diversity in this field, it's sad. I truly wonder if the salary is so low because this is a female dominated field. That idea pisses me off and it should piss off a lot more Au.D students than it does! (Obviously this is based on my own experiences)
8) ****. ASHA. I truly don't believe audiology will make much progress unless AAA just takes over licensing and accrediting. I personally do not like being grouped in with SLPs. There is not as much overlap as we are led to believe in undergrad.
Well, glad that's off my chest. This profession has so much potential, but I don't see anything changing. These are all issues I have raised to my classmates and they are all (except maybe 2 or 3) so aloof to the issues our profession faces they won't even entertain these ideas. How are we to ignite change with such complacent people? This seems to be a trend in audiology honestly and it needs to change! I want to talk to my professors, but since audiology is such a small field I'm afraid I will offend them with my opinions and I'll be blacklisted in the profession somehow.
I don't know what I'm looking for posting this, I want to see if any other students feel the same way. I want to know other students care so maybe we can do something about these issues in the future if I even stay in this profession. I plan to finish out my Au.D because I've already invested too much time and money. Of course there are things I enjoy about this field to have committed to my program. I think about med school all the time. I've looked into post-bacs/MCATs/shadowing/etc. BUT from what I've read it's frowned upon to drop out of a grad program then apply to med school, so I'm finishing my Au.D. I don't know, I just can't accept these issues and this pathetic salary. I regret going into this field in the first place, I should have done my research years ago, I really only have myself to blame.
1) Our salary is pathetic - for how long we're now in school + all the additional training it's crazy to think we'll be lucky even reaching $80k. So many people have just accepted this- BUT WHY!? We deserve so much better! I don't think its rude at all to want a higher salary. This also plays into my next point.
2) We are not 'doctors' by any means- sure we have a doctorate but our scope of practice hasn't changed much. I'm just going to say it, this should just be a master's program. Salary is so ****ty a dental hygienist honestly makes more. I abandoned the whole idea of being a 'doctor' long ago, we don't even come close.
3) Does anyone else not even feel that challenged by their Au.D program? Some kids in my class seem to be sliding by, I don't think we'd see this in an optometry program. The kids in my program complain nonstop the second they are challenged, I'm always frustrated by this.
4) I can only say so much because my undegrad was in CSD, but as I'm learning more in my Au.D program it is clear we need a 'hard' science background. How can we really expect to get the same respect as Optometrists/Podiatrists/Dentists/PTs/OTs if we have no hard science background! I've literally been trying to teach myself genetics and pharmacology. How can we really compete with these other professionals and gain the respect I do believe we deserve if our education was so much 'easier.' Let's be real the GRE isn't that hard, nothing compared to the MCAT/DAT/OAT. I'm sure many of us ended up in audiology because we initially wanted to be an SLP and it is difficult to change majors as college progress. I regret not picking up a biology minor but I can only blame myself for not taking that initiative.
5) Is it just me or was it not even that hard to get into grad school?? I graduated with my CSD degree (with honors) and surely did not do the work of my friends in bio and kinesiology. Again, how can we want to same level of respect as other medical/health professions when our education can't even touch the work MDs/DOs/ODs/PharmDs have put in?
6) Literally EVERYTHING we do can be done by someone with less education. Why would an ENT pay more for an audiologist in a practice when a hearing aid dispenser can be hired at half the cost and the ENT can just interpret the results. Seriously all we do is refer to them anyway, we can't do **** except hope the ENT fixes whatever problem there is then just throw an over-priced hearing aid on the person.
7) No diversity in this field, it's sad. I truly wonder if the salary is so low because this is a female dominated field. That idea pisses me off and it should piss off a lot more Au.D students than it does! (Obviously this is based on my own experiences)
8) ****. ASHA. I truly don't believe audiology will make much progress unless AAA just takes over licensing and accrediting. I personally do not like being grouped in with SLPs. There is not as much overlap as we are led to believe in undergrad.
Well, glad that's off my chest. This profession has so much potential, but I don't see anything changing. These are all issues I have raised to my classmates and they are all (except maybe 2 or 3) so aloof to the issues our profession faces they won't even entertain these ideas. How are we to ignite change with such complacent people? This seems to be a trend in audiology honestly and it needs to change! I want to talk to my professors, but since audiology is such a small field I'm afraid I will offend them with my opinions and I'll be blacklisted in the profession somehow.
I don't know what I'm looking for posting this, I want to see if any other students feel the same way. I want to know other students care so maybe we can do something about these issues in the future if I even stay in this profession. I plan to finish out my Au.D because I've already invested too much time and money. Of course there are things I enjoy about this field to have committed to my program. I think about med school all the time. I've looked into post-bacs/MCATs/shadowing/etc. BUT from what I've read it's frowned upon to drop out of a grad program then apply to med school, so I'm finishing my Au.D. I don't know, I just can't accept these issues and this pathetic salary. I regret going into this field in the first place, I should have done my research years ago, I really only have myself to blame.