Question
Do you anticipate there will be distance learning for clinicians seeking
the Au.D. after 2005?
Answer
the Au.D. after 2005?
I do not anticipate there will be the opportunity for practicing audiologists to enroll in distance education Au.D. degree programs after 2005.
The actual date, i.e. 2005 is difficult to predict. However, the universities offering distance-education Au.D. degrees have planned to offer their programs for specific time periods. The demand for on-line degree programs for currently practicing audiologists will decrease as the majority of interested practitioners complete their degrees. It is my understanding that many of the current programs have projected continued enrollment through approximately 2005. Nonetheless, some students may be completing work in 2006 or 2007, but enrollment of new students would very likely end.
In addition to our professional transition to the Au.D., our profession should focus on the transition of our pre-doctoral educational system. In particular, we should promote strong bachelor's degree programs and potentially the recruitment of students for audiology from pre-med and other healthcare oriented bachelor's degree programs. Additionally, strong Ph.D. programs, grounded in science and research, should be available concurrent with or following the Au.D. programs for those students who also wish to pursue the research doctorate.
However, distance education for audiologists will remain an integral part of education. On-line continuing education courses will be available for the practicing audiologist, providing efficient and effective means of staying current with the changes and advances in audiology. Distance education will also be an integral part of future 4-year, post-baccalaureate programs, as students in third- and fourth-year clinical rotations travel away from the university for clinical experiences, while completing some didactic coursework on-line.
BIO:
Tabitha C. Parent-Buck, Au.D. is the Chair of Audiology at the Arizona School of Health Sciences and a consultant for AVR Sonovation. She obtained her Au.D. degree from Baylor College of Medicine and has practiced in a variety of clinical settings, provided academic instruction as an Assistant Professor for the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of New Mexico, and worked as a sales representative and trainer in the hearing aid industry.