The Tide Is Turning

Residential enrollment in AuD programs outpaces that of audiologists taking distance learning classes.

By Susan b. Paarlberg, MSIR

AuD programs have been in existence for a decade. Distance education programs began enrollment in 1998, with the first graduates in 2000. Since then, much change has occurred in audiology, and the profession continues on the fast track to the doctoral transition.

A sea of change can be noted in 2004 numbers of student enrollment. This fall, we estimate that there will be 2,600 students enrolled in AuD programs (1,440 in residential and 1,160 in distance education).¹

This marks the first time that residential enrollment has overtaken distance education enrollment. The efforts of the Audiology Foundation of America (AFA) and other audiology professional organizations to educate the profession about the importance of the AuD degree seem to be taking hold.

More in Distance Programs

This summer, the number of AuD graduates exceeded 2,000. Several large distance education programs are helping increase the number and quality of doctors of audiology in the United States.

Arizona School of Health Sciences graduated more than 250 practitioners who are now better prepared for the future. Pennsylvania College of Optometry's (PCO) School of Audiology graduated 129 audiologists this year, and the University of Florida is expected to graduate more than 140 practitioners before 2004 is over. Central Michigan University/ Vanderbilt University contributed approximately two dozen new distance education graduates this year.

Nova Southeastern University's international program in the United Kingdom adds a new dimension and enhances opportunity in Europe, with nine graduates there.

The number enrolled in distance education grew from 995 in 2003 to 1,160 in 2004. That is about 15 percent more students. Apparently the tidal wave is carrying along many practitioners who wish to enhance their chances of professional success with the additional knowledge, capabilities and status that an AuD degree provides.

Currently, almost eight percent of the profession is in a distance education program. Twenty-one percent of audiologists are participating in the transition, if we add those who already have the degree. Thirty percent of audiologists who participated in a recent survey had earned their AuD.²

Rapid growth is still occurring in the number of residential programs. Since last year, there has been a 56 percent increase in AuD programs. This fall, there are at least 61 programs open, with approximately 1,400 students enrolled in all four years. The class of 2008, entering this fall, is expected to be 600 strong.

Seventy-four residential graduates joined the audiology career market this spring. By spring next year, we expect the number to double, with more than 150 residential graduates. In four years, we anticipate more than 550 graduates beginning their careers as audiologists.

The transition from master's degree programs to AuD programs is accelerating, and fewer master's degree holders are graduating each year. Due to the longer time required to complete an AuD degree program, and the fact that some programs are closing, there is an anticipated decrease in audiology graduates for a few years. In 2000-01, there were more than 800 master's graduates in audiology; we estimate that 500 will graduate in 2004-2005 as many programs have already closed and have been replaced by AuD programs.³

In the spring of 2004, the AFA surveyed residential audiology programs that hadn't already converted their master's programs to AuD programs. Sixteen audiology programs said they plan to close. Several are still seeking approval to transition to AuD programs. Two programs will not close their master's programs or change to the AuD at this date. A handful that previously had master's degree programs are planning to offer clinical PhD programs or normal research PhD programs only. Two programs are awarding ScD degrees. All the others are either already AuD programs or are planning to offer the degree.

Shakeout of Programs

In the mid-1990's, there were 120 audiology programs on the national Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) roster. Currently, there are 99.³

According to AFA data, it appears that we may end up with 75 to 80 AuD programs in the near future. This shakeout of programs is probably a good thing for the profession, because professional doctoral education requires more resources. A look at other professions reveals more consistency in professional education. (See Figure 1.)

"As audiology continues its transition to a doctoral profession, a new system of accreditation that encourages a consistent educational core instead of allowing for specialization too early in the educational process, is needed," according to Kenneth Lowder, AuD, AFA's chair. "We hope our educational programs will continue to combine resources to gain strength and size like other health care professions. It is inefficient to run a program with only a handful of students."

Consortium Programs

There will be AuD programs in 31 states this fall. There are 10 states with three or more AuD programs, and currently six consortium programs that combine resources and faculty from at least two, and sometimes three, programs.

In the future, we may see arrangements between states to waive out-of-state tuition or to reserve places for graduates from aligned states to provide a supply of practitioners in states without programs. This is similar to what happens in other professions.

When surveyed, five programs indicated that they intend to continue to award master's degrees during AuD programs for a couple of reasons. Some wish to give a master's degree and then let students decide whether to continue on to earn an AuD or PhD. Others mentioned awarding a master's degree so that students can be licensed while completing their clinical rotations.

AuD programs granting master's degrees partway through the AuD program have already had their first students accept "jobs" while out on clinical rotations, failing to complete their doctoral degree. No other health care profession allows its students to obtain licensure before graduation. No other health care profession expects or allows students to be able to bill independently, and although optometry, podiatry, medicine, pharmacy and audiology pay tuition during clinicals, no other health care profession pays students during clinical rotations. This is apparently a lingering tradition from audiology's years of master's degree education, when graduates had to complete the clinical fellowship year, which was essentially a supervised first year of professional work.

Going Against the Flow

Several AuD programs are opening three-year programs. Since the major reason for the change to AuD education is to allow more time for additional classes and clinical rotations, this is not a positive event. There is certainly disappointment from leaders in the profession on this development.

Brad Stach, PhD, American Academy of Audiology (AAA) president for 2003-2004, spoke about this during his convention address at the AAA convention in April, when he said, "First, there is growing concern about a handful of academic programs that appear to be re-packaging their master's curriculum with a CFY and calling it an AuD program."⁴ There is also disappointment among practitioners and other audiology faculty that the Council on Academic Accreditation would accredit these programs.

The national rate of participation in this transition of the profession is 13 percent, compared to last year's 9 percent. Interestingly, several states are well ahead of the national average. Others lag but are beginning to catch up. Last year, the Southeast was winning the race to earning the AuD, and it is still in the lead, with 19 percent of practitioners in this region holding the AuD degree.

In combined regions, the South/Southeast boasts 17 percent of audiologists with AuD degrees, followed by the East/Northeast region, with 13 percent; Central/Midwest, with 11 percent; and Moutain/West, with 10 percent of audiologists holding the AuD.

This year, New Hampshire tops the AuD breakdown when it comes to states, with 26 percent of its practitioners holding the degree. Florida has the second-highest percentage of AuD holders by state.

Scholarships Help

The AFA provides several scholarships to help people earn their AuD degrees. In 2004, the AFA will provide approximately $50,000 in scholarships to both residential and distance education students. Recently, the AFA began awarding scholarships to school-based practitioners. The AFA board of directors saw lower participation in AuD programs from this group and wanted to do something about it. Five school-based practitioners received scholarships for $1,000.

Audiologists are jumping into the AuD transition in greater numbers than ever. The number of AuD programs is also increasing rapidly. Much positive change has occurred in audiology education in the past few years, and although there is still much that needs to change to position audiologists like other doctoring professions, we are certainly turning the tide.

References

1. Audiology Foundation of America. Unpublished research on audiology programs, enrollment, graduations and other professions.

2. Strom. K. (2004.) The HR 2004 dispenser survey. The Hearing Review; 11 (6): 16.

3. American Speech-Language Hearing Association. Accessed via www.asha.org/students/academic/doctoral/clinical_dr_audiology.htm

4. Audiology Today. (2004.) "An Independent Audiology," May/June, pg. 7.

Acknowledgments: The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance of AFA staff members Mary Wilson and Becky White in collecting the data for this article.

Susan Paarlberg is the executive director of the Audiology Foundation of America. She can be reached at (765) 743-6283, e-mail: susan@audfound.org; Web site:www.audfound.org