Externship Guide
About Externships
For externships, we are seeking a variety of experiences that cross the expansive discipline of audiology. At Pacific University, we try to remain involved in the educational component of the student’s experience while not interfering with the clinical education process established by the site. In order to help the extern to maximize the benefit of our preceptors’ knowledge and the excellent experiences offered, the student sets their own SMART goals for the externship. Goals are discussed with the preceptor (supervisor) early in the rotation. These goals help to guide the student’s duties and schedule. The acceptable tasks for students vary from site to site and from preceptor to preceptor, and are not limited to diagnostic experience, but include ALL aspects of audiology, including report writing, billing, creating educational and marketing materials, as well as diagnostic and intervention services. In addition, at some sites, our students shadow the ENT from time to time, depending on the clinic schedule, to increase their understanding of the medical aspects of hearing healthcare.
Due to the fact that our program is unique, we have established various processes which allow the dates of externship to be somewhat flexible. Our students complete final core coursework in the beginning of the summer semester, then they complete one final 6 week internship prior to beginning the externship experience. In some cases, we have allowed students to complete the final 6 week internship at sites which will also be their externship experience. From the perspective of the preceptor, it is a seamless transition from internship to externship.
The students must have 35 hours of work each week for the externship site to be considered full-time. Duties which count during work hours include: paperwork, hands-on clinical work, meetings, trainings, marketing, etc.
Classes and Clinical Experience leading up to Externship:
Fall Year 1
Acoustics
Outer & Middle Ear
Sensorineural & Central Pathway
Audiologic Assessment I
Audiologic Assessment II
OAEs & Advanced Assessment
Applied Hearing Science
Cerumen Management
Auditory Pathophysiology
Intro to Clinical Practicum
Seminar I & Audiology Lab
Spring Year 1
Evoked Potentials
Advanced Evoked Potentials
Amplification I
Amplification II
Research Fundamentals
CSD Foundations
Audiological Rehabilitation
Geriatric Audiology
Vestibular I
Clinical Practicum
Seminar I & Audiology Lab
Summer Year 1
Hearing Conservation
Tinnitus & Hyperacusis
Impantable Devices I
Vestibular II
Pediatric Foundations
Couseling in Audiology
Advanced Amplification
Topics in Audiology
Clinical Practicum II
Seminar I & Audiology Lab
Fall Year 2
Pharmacology & Ototoxicity
Vestibular III
Pediatric Assessment
Differential Diagnosis
Audiologic Management of Musicians
Capstone Project I
Seminar II & Advanced Audiology Lab
Internship I
Spring Year 2
Pediatric Intervention
Educational Audiology
Auditory Processing Disorders
Advanced Implantable Devices
Capstone Project II
Seminar II & Advanced Audiology Lab
Internship II
Summer Year 2
Practice Management
Ethics in Audiology
Professional Issues
Seminar II & Advanced Audiology Lab
Internship III
Student Objectives
The student’s primary objective is to successfully achieve the specific skills as described by the goals submitted for this semester.
Secondarily, upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to …
1) Describe and discuss clinical experiences in a professional manner,
2) Construct a clinical report describing the background information, clinical findings, assessment and recommendations,
3) Identify relationships between clinical experiences and didactic learning,
4) Work in a full-time work environment with increasing independence throughout the term
5) Analyze clinical experiences from the perspective of evidence-based practice,
6) Reflect on personal and professional attributes of audiology practice.