New Doctorate in Audiology Program Offered at Central Institute for the Deaf at Washington University School of Medicine

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Tuesday, 16 December 2003

Central Institute for the Deaf (CID) at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has converted its renowned master's degree program in audiology into a doctorate program in audiology (Au.D.).

Individuals who complete the Au.D. degree program will receive doctorate-level training in clinical audiology and the fields related to speech and hearing sciences. By 2012, a doctoral degree will be required for certification in clinical audiology nationwide.

"The face of audiology is changing and becoming more complex," says William W. Clark, Ph.D., director of the Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences at the School of Medicine.

Approximately 28 million Americans, including over 1 million children, have some degree of reduced hearing sensitivity. Technological improvements such as widespread availability of cochlear implants have rapidly advanced the field and hearing disorders are being diagnosed earlier than ever before. As a result, children at CID now are an average of about 3 or 4 years old and only stay at the school for a maximum of four years. A few short decades ago, students were 11 years old on average and spent up to eight years at CID.

With early diagnosis and treatment of pediatric hearing deficits rapidly advancing and with the number of older adults increasing, the Department of Labor estimates the field of audiology will grow by about 45 percent over the next decade.

According to Clark, CID is the only institute in the world that offers all four aspects of deaf education: a school for deaf children; graduate training in audiology and deaf education; clinical services; and research.

"Our community has a unique opportunity," says Clark, who also is a professor of otolaryngology. "By combining the expertise and resources of CID and the School of Medicine we can provide graduate students with superior training, including exposure to our highly respected deaf education program and to our world-class research facility."

Multi-disciplinary resources and expertise are particularly critical, according to Clark, in light of the remarkable strides in newborn intensive care units (ICU).

"We're saving more kids in the ICU, but those children often end up with multiple medical and learning issues," he explains. "The interventional picture therefore is more complicated — it's not just a matter of teaching a deaf child to speak or read lips, but rather requires more expertise beyond just the auditory system. And that's exactly what our students receive thanks to our affiliation with Washington University."

In 1947, CID and the University became the first to offer a Ph.D. in audiology. The master's program in audiology is currently ranked sixth among 117 programs by U.S. News and World Report.

For more information, or to contact Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, see their website at: medschool.wustl.edu