On the Ear: An Audiology Podcast

Episode 41: The Evolution of Cochlear Implants for Single Sided Deafness (SSD)

May 25th, 2023  |  1 hr

audiology, cochlear implants, imaging, intervention, single-sided deafness (ssd)

Guest: Margaret Dillon, AuD., Ph.D. - Dr. Meg Dillon shares the history of treatment for single-sided deafness (SSD), how cochlear implants have become a good intervention option for this population, and how our approach to programming CI for SSD has evolved. Her new approaches include incorporating imaging and addressing frequency mismatch.

Episode 40: Discovering and Addressing Disparities in Hearing Healthcare

May 18th, 2023  |  1 hr 2 mins

Guest: Matthew Bush, MD, PhD, MBA, FACS - Dr. Matthew Bush is a leader in the field of research regarding disparities in hearing healthcare. He shares his work in assessing these disparities and what clinicians can practically do to begin addressing these gaps and barriers to care.

Episode 39: A Deep Dive into Microtia and Atresia with Meredith Berger

April 20th, 2023  |  57 mins 49 secs

atresia, audiologist, audiology, aural atresia, hearing loss, microtia

Meredith Berger is the Director of Clarke School New York, a leader in the field of early intervention for children who are deaf and hard of hearing, and parent of a child with bilateral microtia/atresia. She discusses her experiences and the connections across these disciplines, as well as provides an in-depth discussion of microtia and atresia.

Episode 38: Measuring Productivity in Audiology

March 9th, 2023  |  1 hr 2 mins

asha, audiology, career, ceus, clinicians

Guest: Derek Stiles, PhD, CCC-A - Dr. Stiles is the Director of the Diagnostic Audiology Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, and his team recently developed metrics for measuring productivity in their department. In this episode, he describes their process for developing wRVUs, how it affects workflow, and how current clinicians can incorporate these ideas into their productivity metrics.

Episode 37: Gender-Affirming Care in Audiology

December 15th, 2022  |  1 hr 2 mins

asha, audiology, career, ceus, clinicians

Guest: Madison Howe, AuD, CCC-A - Dr. Howe shares the ways that clinicians can adjust their practice to improve inclusivity for their gender-diverse patients. Her discussion includes tips, training, language, and opportunities for growth that audiologists can utilize to ensure their care is compassionate and culturally competent.

Episode 36: Improving Expectations and Quality of Life for Cochlear Implant Patients with Teddy McRackan, MD

November 17th, 2022  |  1 hr 5 secs

cochlear implants, quality of life, speech recognition

Guest: Teddy McRackan, MD- The guest shares his work evaluating the poor correlation between cochlear implant speech recognition scores and patient-reported outcome measures. Discussion explores how we can improve pre-CI evaluations and patient expectations, as well as a new tool developed to assess CI Quality of Life.

Episode 35: How Can Mentorship Take Your Career to the Next Level?

October 27th, 2022  |  58 mins 36 secs

asha, audiology, career, ceus, mentee, mentorship

Guest: J. Riley DeBacker, AuD, Ph.D. - Mentorship is a topic not often formally taught but critical to the success of professionals in a variety of backgrounds.

Episode 34: The Full Scope of Audiology: Music and Alternative Audiology with Heather Malyuk, Au.D.

March 24th, 2022  |  1 hr 3 secs

audiologist, audiology, hearing, hearing aids, hearing loss, music, music audiology

While many audiologists specialize in different types of care, such as tinnitus, vestibular, or cochlear implants, few emphasize the distinct connection between our field and that of musicians. Dr. Heather Malyuk is a clinician who focuses on providing cutting-edge care for musicians, as a specialist in Music and Alternative Audiology. She explains her work with this population, and how the future of audiology can be shaped by this work.

Episode 33: The Full Scope of Audiology: Pediatric Palliative Care with Jacinto Fragoso, Au.D. & Holly Gerth, Au.D.

March 10th, 2022  |  59 mins 24 secs

audiologist, audiologists, audiology, hearing aids, hearing loss, palliative care, pediatrics

Pediatric audiologists serve a variety of roles in providing hearing healthcare, but in hospitals and medical-based programs, that role can stretch into the complex realm of palliative care. This discussion includes where the audiologist fits into this sensitive aspect of care, and how they can work collaboratively with other professionals involved.

Episode 32: What Does a Cochlear Implant Sound Like? A Journey of Empowerment and Success with Donna Sorkin, M.A.

February 24th, 2022  |  1 hr 6 mins

audiologist, audiology, cochlear implant, cochlear implants, hearing aids, hearing loss

Donna Sorkin, executive director of the American Cochlear Implant Alliance, shares her journey to receiving a cochlear implant, including the sounds, experiences, stresses, and successes. She explains how music sounds with her implant, accessible technology, and how she uses the technology to empower her life and leadership role.

Episode 31: The Full Scope of Audiology: Leadership & Advocacy with Donna Smiley, Ph.D., CCC-A

February 10th, 2022  |  1 hr 29 secs

advocacy, asha, audiologist, audiology, hearing, hearing aids, hearing loss, leadership

Dr. Donna Smiley explains her journey of over 30 years in audiology, from clinical to educational settings, and now in a leadership role at ASHA. She shares how audiologists can become better advocates for the profession, insights into what the future may hold for the field, including what to expect with over-the-counter hearing devices, and the unexpected opportunities they might offer.

Episode 30: A Deep Dive into Vestibular with Liz Fuemmeler, Au.D. and Daniel J. Romero, Au.D., Ph.D.

November 29th, 2021  |  1 hr 4 mins

audiologist, audiology, balance, dizziness, hearing, hearing loss, vestibular

Dr. Liz Fuemmeler and Dr. Daniel J Romero are vestibular scientists that are involved in research and clinical work. Liz is one of a handful of private practice vestibular specialists, and Daniel is at the forefront of vestibular research. Tune in to find out how each of them became interested in the vestibular field, and what their advice is to other audiologists looking to improve their balance care. From lessons learned while collaborating with other healthcare professionals, to their favorite cases, you won’t want to miss out on this fascinating episode!

Episode 29: Improving Outcomes of Children with Hearing Loss with Ryan McCreery, PhD

November 11th, 2021  |  1 hr 4 mins

audiologist, audiology, cochlear implant, cochlear implants, hearing aids, hearing loss, pediatrics

Dr. McCreery discusses his experience transitioning from clinical audiology to research work with the Outcomes of Children with Hearing Loss (OCHL) study at Boys Town National Research Hospital. He reviews their findings, including the impact of newborn hearing screening, early intervention, and advances in hearing technology on a wide range of outcomes for children who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Episode 28: Reaching Those in Need pt 2 - TeleABR with Melanie Morris, Au.D.

October 28th, 2021  |  1 hr 1 min

abr, audiologist, audiology, hearing, hearing aids, hearing loss, teleabr, teletherapy

Dr. Melanie Morris shares her process of establishing a remote auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing program, including the training, equipment, and challenges involved. Her experience working with “TeleABRs” has improved access to care in areas where the diagnostic evaluation has limited (and sometimes no) provider options, and also where COVID-19 has further limited access.

Episode 27: Deepening Our Understanding of Interprofessional Practice (IPP) with Danika Pfeiffer, PhD, CCC-SLP

September 23rd, 2021  |  56 mins 4 secs

audiologist, audiology, collaboration, comd, communication sciences and disorders, csd, interprofessional, ipp, slp

Dr. Danika Pfeiffer’s research examines the clinical implications and expressions of inter-professional practice (IPP). Her discussion with Dr. Dakota Sharp covers the importance of IPP, the common misconceptions of practitioners, and how IPP can be utilized more effectively to improve outcomes for patients and clinicians alike. She also shares information about her new podcast, "About, From, & With: A SLP Podcast."

Episode 26: The Full Scope of Audiology: Research Audiologist with Emily Spitzer, Au.D.

September 9th, 2021  |  59 mins 24 secs

audiologist, audiology, cochlear implants, hearing aids, hearing loss, research

Dr. Emily Spitzer discusses the process of becoming an audiologist who primarily works in a research role. She explains what audiology students can do to prepare for a career in research, as well as connects current practicing clinicians with opportunities to conduct research of their own, including funding opportunities, and how the landscape of research is evolving.