Externships

[ccAuD]

Hi all! I'm new to this site and was hoping to get a bit of advice about the whole externship process. I'm currently starting to look for externships in various areas and wonder if anyone has any advice/words of wisdom. Anything helps.

Thanks!

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[cidanu]

Hi all! I'm new to this site and was hoping to get a bit of advice about the whole externship process. I'm currently starting to look for externships in various areas and wonder if anyone has any advice/words of wisdom. Anything helps.

Thanks!

one of the PhD students told us "don't specialize too soon." get a broad experience your 4th year so you have options. we're a small field and specializing can limit your opportunities or geographic choices.

 

[AUDball2012]

I am currently in my 4th year. I would recommend looking for externships that will offer you the most variety of ages and diagnostics. Hearing aids are always changing so you will always be re-learning the technology. Diagnostics wise--in addition to you basic audiometry, you should look for VNG/ENG, CDP, rotary chair, VEMP, Ecog, CI testing, infant and adult ABR, CAPD evaluations, and some sort of tinnitus management. Obviously, all of that is hard to find in one place, but try to get as many as possible because that will make you marketable wherever you go. You also want to make sure that the practice has a good reputation (look for a better business bureau award or any other award that could indicate that they are a good place for you to work). And lastly, and this is really a hot button issue for many, I personally would not specifically look for only paid externships--you want to get the best experience possible and a lot of times those come without a paycheck. Make sure you check out AAA's externship registry and if you are interested in a specific area, google audiologist in the area and just get on the phone and ask for the audiologist and see if they are taking externs because many places dont advertise but have great externships.

 

[Dustbug10]

Welcome to the forum.

cidanu and Audball are correct, unless you are dead set on a particular setting. Private practice may not provide the encompassing learning experience of a medical clinic, but I'm sure you could pick up crucial business/management knowledge with the right preceptor (if that happened to be your interest). As for the timeline, I plan on following this page on the AAA website:

http://www.audiology.org/education/academia/externshiptimeline/Pages/default.aspx

 

[AUDball2012]

Welcome to the forum.

cidanu and Audball are correct, unless you are dead set on a particular setting. Private practice may not provide the encompassing learning experience of a medical clinic, but I'm sure you could pick up crucial business/management knowledge with the right preceptor (if that happened to be your interest). As for the timeline, I plan on following this page on the AAA website:

http://www.audiology.org/education/academia/externshiptimeline/Pages/default.aspx

Oh and timeline wise--a lot of place want applications in by Dec or Jan 1st, so all of mine were in by Oct 15th and the same was with my classmates.

 

[cidanu]

As for the timeline, I plan on following this page on the AAA website:

http://www.audiology.org/education/academia/externshiptimeline/Pages/default.aspx

oh crap. i better get on the ball!

 

[DrAudio]

Where do you want to go? I may have a position coming up soonish.

-D

 

[ccAuD]

Thanks for all of the advice, it is helpful. I would definitely like to go somewhere that sees a variety of patients (not only is this recommended by our school, but I have an interest in electrophys & vestib). If anyone has recommendations about how to go about actually FINDING externships, though, that would be extremely helpful. It is slightly frustrating that there isn't much of a centralized database for doing this (aside from the AAA website, though I have found that this isn't too well-updated nor does it have many options). I do understand, though, that no job search will ever have a clear-cut centralized database, so its good practice . I'd ideally like to be in San Francisco or the west coast, but I don't want to limit myself based on region. I'd like to apply/pick somewhere that will be the best experience and the best place for me to learn and grow as a student. Does anybody have any other tips on even finding possible externship sites aside from word of mouth, AAA, and a general Google search?

 

[cidanu]

my program maintains a list of 4th year placements. they are placements that meet approval by our faculty, and/or former students have gone there, or there may already be an affiliation agreement made, or it may just be a relationship between a professor at my school and the director of their site. does your program have anything like this?

 

[DrAudio]

Thanks for all of the advice, it is helpful. I would definitely like to go somewhere that sees a variety of patients (not only is this recommended by our school, but I have an interest in electrophys & vestib). If anyone has recommendations about how to go about actually FINDING externships, though, that would be extremely helpful. It is slightly frustrating that there isn't much of a centralized database for doing this (aside from the AAA website, though I have found that this isn't too well-updated nor does it have many options). I do understand, though, that no job search will ever have a clear-cut centralized database, so its good practice . I'd ideally like to be in San Francisco or the west coast, but I don't want to limit myself based on region. I'd like to apply/pick somewhere that will be the best experience and the best place for me to learn and grow as a student. Does anybody have any other tips on even finding possible externship sites aside from word of mouth, AAA, and a general Google search?

You have a PM. I can help you. I live just outside San Francisco.

-D

 

[AUDball2012]

A lot of times, externship sites that are looking for students will contact your depts externship coordinator so you can always ask in your dept. But really it is a matter of leg work. I wanted the Seattle area and there was no advertised externship in the area so I got online and searched for audiologists, checked the company website and the would call if there was no information online. It really is a big ol' pain in the butt.