Site:
Orlando VA Healthcare System Audiology

Location:
13800 Veterans Way
Orlando, Florida 32827
United States

Description:
The Orlando VA Healthcare System is a Complexity 1A VA facility and offers audiological services at 6 sites of care in Central Florida. We also have clinics in Daytona Beach, Viera, Tavares, and Deltona. We have a total of 32.8 audiologists and 12 health technicians on staff. In addition to diagnostic and hearing instrument services, we offer cerumen management, virtual tinnitus management classes, auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing, comprehensive vestibular evaluation (including rotary chair, VEMPS, vHIT, and in-clinic BPPV management), and telehealth audiology visits.

Time spent training with us will count towards federal service. Basic healthcare will be offered as a benefit. Start date will be June, 2024.

Number of externship positions:
2

Funding is assigned by the Office of Academic Affairs and may not have been determined by the application deadline. OAA funding is announced nationally at the same time which should allow sites to know funding at approximately the same time. Historically, our site:
has been awarded 2 funded 4th year traineeships each year.

Clinical opportunities provided during the externship:

• Audiologic evaluation
• Immittance measures
• Otoacoustic emissions
• Hearing aid selection
• Hearing aid fitting
• Assistive listening devices
• Vestibular evaluation
• Vestibular rehabilitation
• Electrophysiology evaluation
• Tinnitus evaluation
• Tinnitus management
• Cochlear Implant management
• Auditory Processing management
• Cerumen Management
• Telehealth program
• ENT clinic

Clinical opportunities not listed above:
Virtual/remote hearing aid care, virtual tinnitus program, professional development activities, audiology phone clinic, hearing aid drop-off clinic, access to MedSim Lab

Externship site expects the extern to have mastered these skills before they begin their clinical externship:
Solid foundation and skills in the following areas: otoscopic examination, comprehensive audiological evaluation, hearing aid fitting, hearing aid verification measurements, hearing aid follow-up & trouble shooting, auditory ABR testing, vestibular testing, tinnitus counseling, aural rehabilitation, interpersonal communication, and professionalism. Proficient professional writing and grammar skills are preferred. Trainees will continue to develop and master these skills throughout the year.

Externship site expects the extern to learn/demonstrate these skills during their clinical externship:

• Comprehensive audiological evaluation
• Comprehensive vestibular evaluation
• Cerumen management
• Hearing aid fitting & orientation
• Hearing aid verification measurement
• Hearing aid & accessory programming, follow-up, and repair
• Counseling & aural rehabilitation
• Comprehensive vestibular evaluation
• Tinnitus counseling & management
• ABR testing
• Telehealth & virtual/remote hearing aid care
• Flexibility
• Ability to take and apply feedback from preceptors
• Interpersonal skills
• Professionalism
• Professional writing skills

Number of audiologists at site:
32.8

Number of staff at site:
47

Audiologists holding CCC-A certification:
4

Audiologists holding ABA certification:
4

What level of supervision is provided:
Graduated level of supervision

Number of patients seen per year:
43,604

How many students per year both interns and externs:
2

Continuing Education opportunities:

• Hearing instrument trainee-specific sessions for all 5 manufacturers on contract at the beginning of the year
• Supplemental training with hearing instrument manufacturers throughout the year
• Trainees will be approved to attend up to 2 professional conferences (examples: JDVAC, AAA or ASHA)
• Trainees will be approved to attend up to 2 off-site or virtual hearing instrument manufacturer or specialty trainings

Travel to satellites required?:
Yes

Are there interdisciplinary opportunities? If so what:

• Observation with ENT service
• Interdisciplinary Educational Series for Orlando VA Healthcare trainees

Are there research opportunities? If so what?:
No

Do you have a consortium or collaborative arrangements with other sites that provides additional experience?:
No

What communication or other support do you expect or require from university during externship?
Regular communication for mid-term and final evaluations with additional support, as needed.

Site’s application requirements:

• Resume or CV (including GPA and total number of clinical hours thus far)
• Two letter of recommendation
• Cover letter/letter of interest describing what the student is looking for in a 4th year traineeship
• U.S. Citizenship

Steps for the student/university to follow the application process:
All interested students should send the above application materials to Christopher.mccrea@va.gov and Dominique.matthews@va.gov

Site’s application deadline:
Friday, September 22, 2023

Site’s externship contact:
Christopher McCrea, CCC-SLP and Dominique Matthews, AuD

Anticipated decision date:
Monday, October 24, 2023