EFAS and the ‘General Audiologist’ Model

1. EFAS and the ‘General Audiologist’ Model Dr. Theresa Pitt, Au.D., M.Sc., FSHAA, Ireland (President, Irish Society of Audiology, Member of British Society of Audiology & American Academy of Audiology) Ex-General Secretary & Current Irish Representative on EFAS Council Senior Audiological Scientist South-East Ireland & Co-Ordinator of Diploma in Hearing Aid Audiology, UCD, Ireland Presentation: Cork, 16th September 2005

2. European Federation Audiology Societies atwww.efas.wsConference locations since our 1992 formation in Cambridge,UK:1993: Hanover1995: Noordwijkerhout1997: Prague1999: Oulu2001: Bordeaux2003: Crete2005: Goteborg

3. ‘Improved services for hearing-impaired Europeans’ = major goal of European Federation of Audiology Societies or EFAS • 1992:EFAS Founded: not-for-profit, educational organisation • Tempus Programme, training people from former Communist states - ran 1995-1997. • 1997:EFAS set up “Audiology Training” (EuropeanAT) working group to research professions. • Surveys revealed infrastructure of Audiology Education needed greater development; called for broad consensus. • 1999: EFAS organised EAT workshop. • Sorri (Finland) & Kiessling (Germany) were convenors (University of Giessen). • 15 out of 30 member European countries sent 33 delegates. EFAS and the General Audiologist Training Model

4. List of participants EAT Workshop 1999 SCANDINAVIA: • Denmark: Parving, Walter • Sweden: Arlinger, Arvidsson, Millioris, Ringdahl • Finland: Kronlund, Huttunen, Sorri • Norway: Laukli, Okstad NORTHERN-WESTERN MAINLAND EUROPEAN: • Germany: Diller, Kinkel, Kollmeier, Kiessling, Lenarz • France: Dauman • Netherlands: Feenstra, ten Boske, Verschuure, Van Zanten • UK: Sirimanna, Umapathy MEDITERRANEAN/SOUTHERN • Spain: Barajas, Enrique • Israel: Bergman, Hildesheimer • Greece: Gavalas FORMER ‘COMMUNIST’ STATES • Slovenia: Gros, Vatovec • Latvia: Kise • Romania: Pascu • Poland: Sulkowski

5. EFAS and the General Audiologist Training Model (1) • Heated discussions! • Final proposal for ‘General Audiologist or GA profession’ to become primary provider in current European context. • Professional skills and curriculum contents for a four year GA training programme were described. 5 groups contributed: 1. Medical Audiology 2. Technical Audiology 3. Rehabilitative (non-technical) Audiology 4. Environmental Audiology 5. Research Most groups led by ‘Northern European’ Convenors.

6. EFAS and the GA Training Model (2) Delegates to EAT Workshop recognised that implementing GA: • shall not replace but shall supplement services of existing hearing care providers. • must be accomplished according to local need; different programmes in different countries. • may be developed as brand new profession, or existing group in Audiology may adopt GA curriculum to broaden scope. • =long term: not all countries will progress at same rate or direction in Audiology practice.

7. EFAS and the GA Training Model (3) EFAS Brief Definition for EAT: ‘Audiology deals with function and dysfunction of the auditory system’. The services provided to hearing impaired people deal with: • Diagnostics • Auditory (re)habilitation • Communication/communication disorders • Prevention • Research and teaching

8. EFAS and the GA Training Model (4) • Pyramid approach: Basic level: General Audiologist (practically oriented), • level: university degree training, (B.Aud, M.Aud) • 3 years theoretical + 1 yr practical • GA may migrate to Audiological Specialist by specialisation in additional field Higher level: Audiological Specialist, • level: university degree (clinically oriented) with graduate specialisation: • Other professions with related specialisation (e.g. medical, educational degree)

9. Tasks/competencies for GA listed… • E.g. Diagnostics • Psychoacoustic methods/Electrophysiological tests • Paediatric tests • (Re)habilitation • Hearing devices/ Other measures: including communication, screening & management aspects… and so on for each task area, including elements of research and political/funding aspects of service.

10. Curriculum proposals for GA (1) • 3 years of theoretical studies: • 25% basic sciences, • 25% medical and diagnostic audiology, • 25% technical and environmental audiology, • 25% psychosocial audiology and educational issues, communication repair methods, general skills and specialisation • 1 year of practical studies.

11. Changes to European Training? U.K. B.Sc. Degree programmes as discussed, with similar structure to GA outline. Portugal: Started 4-year honours degree programme in Audiology in 1999, (on a clinical sciences basis), in Porto. Visit: http://www.estsp.pt/id75.htm Denmark: course in Oldenburg University: ‘Hearing Technology & Audiology’ developed along GA model, with co-operation between Danish, German, Netherlander, other Scandinavian and UK courses taking place…. Many other Scandinavian Audiology programmes already exist, usually within the Medical Faculties… Note: EFAS not directly involved in Education, but EFAS members often involved in new Programmes.

12. SUMMARY EFAS recognises that American/S.African/ Mediterranean ‘combined’ Logopedics Degree’ models are widely used; (Northern) European trend towards medical and/or more technical Audiology, distinct from ENT. This model encourages ‘Hearing Aid’ professionals in public & private practice, who could then acquire better technical skills and become degree-based European profession. GA model may contribute to more gender-balanced Audiology profession than ‘Logopedic’ model, due to more ‘technical’ basis of undergraduate programme. Position not exclusive; countries have different health & training structures, requiring different professional development for local needs.

13. SUGGESTED QUESTIONS… 1. Should the ultimate aim of all countries be a doctorate standard for the main professional grouping in Audiology, or a degree standard? 2. Are the needs of public and private sector Audiology systems of training fundamentally similar, or must they stay separate? 3. How is research being affected by changing to: • B.Sc. Audiology as in UK or • Au.D. courses as in USA • Other European approaches eg Scandinavia with mainly M.A. profession? 4. Can structure and status of Audiology profession ever be established throughout Europe, given relative strength of medical professions there? 5. How and when will the Bologna declaration impact upon Audiology professionals? 6) How should Audiology fit in, in relation to other related professions? Should we strengthen medical, technical or rehabilitative aspects of our profession? 7) Will ‘Audiology Assistants’ require a standardised training and task set in order to complement Audiologists?