Ten Tips for Audiology Students on Making the Most of Your Summer Break – guest post by Lana Joseph

As I am finishing up my second year as an AuD student at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, I wanted to share my top ten tips on how AuD Students can make the most of this summer break!

#1. Get ahead in your reading. Try not to wait until the beginning of the new semester to order your textbooks for next semester’s classes. Email your professors and ask them for a list of textbooks. You may also request a copy of the most current syllabus for that course so that you may gain an idea of the topics covered, mandatory projects, and reading assignments.

#2. Order the Handbook on Clinical Audiology edited by Drs. Katz, Medwetsky, Burkhard & Hood. You can purchase this textbook through Amazon.com which offers the book in both used and new conditions, ranging in price from about $50.00 to $72.00. This handbook contains all of the ends and outs on Clinical Audiology. It is a great reference tool for most topics in our field and a must have for your Audiology library.

#3. Purchase a pocket otoscope: The summer is a great time to practice your clinical skills. Purchase an otoscope and look in as many ears as possible to improve your otoscopy skills. Your pocket otoscope may also come in handy in clinic during the semester. Oaktree Products Inc of St. Louis, Missouri offers a variety of affordable pocket otoscopes that are perfect for student use. Be sure to ask them for a student discount as they often extend one knowing how tight money can be during this time in our career!

#4. Read Audiology Magazines. Professional audiology magazines such as The Hearing Review, Audiology Practices, and Audiology Today are great audiology magazines that keep us well-informed on the most current happenings in our field. Since school obligations often keep us from reading professional magazines during the semester, the summer is a great time to catch up.

#5. Practice your Clinical Skills. While you are at clinic this summer, spend time practicing your diagnostic skills with the audiometer and tympanometer. Practice Real Ear Techniques and programing hearing aid devices. Become more familiar with the equipment so that you may be better prepared when the semester begins.

#6. Meet Audiologists in your local area. It is never too early or too late to start networking. Contact Audiologists within your local area and ask them if they would be willing to meet with you to discuss their own journey to Audiology, and also share with you helpful advice.

#7. Find Research Opportunities. Take time to discover your passion in audiology and begin to research topics in research related to your interest.

#8. Engage in community service activities.  So many individuals are in need of audiological help within our local communities, whether needing to be educated on hearing conservation or needing actual hearing screenings.  By taking time to inform people of what you do, you are promoting the importance of our field while ultimately improving someone’s health.

#9. Apply for scholarships.  Take time to apply for scholarships online. Also email your advisors about potential scholarship opportunities.

#10. Begin the externship search.  Search for externship opportunities. It’s never too early to conquer the externship search. Third year flies by very fast. It will be time for you to submit applications before you know it.

So what are you doing during this summer to make the most of your time? Please share your thoughts and comments in the Feedback Forum by scrolling to the bottom of this post and entering your thoughts in the box with the heading LEAVE A REPLY.

Lana Joseph is a second year Doctor of Audiology student at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri. She earned a  Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Nicholls State University in 2009 and a Master of Science in Health Care Management from the University of New Orleans in 2011. Lana is the author of her own Audiology blog called The Audiologist to Be.Com.