Opportunities in audiometry ring loud and clear
R. SUJATHA
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Not many audiometricians are available although they are important to the work of ENT specialists.
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Audiometricians are urgently required by ENT specialists but they are in short supply. Now that the government has launched its National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness, the need is more acutely felt, the specialists say.
An audiometrician is as important to the field of ENT as an optometrist is to ophthalmology. But, most audiometricians are trained in-house and later absorbed by the hospital.
The All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore, offers extension classes in 12 centres. The virtual mode course admits students who have passed Class XII through the science stream.
The course is offered in Puducherry’s JIPMER, Mumbai, Cuttack, Jabalpur, Ranchi, Imphal, Lucknow, New Delhi, Ajmer and Shimla. The students get hands-on practical training in hospital during the morning hours. The afternoon sessions are devoted to theory classes that are beamed across all the centres.
The Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped in Mumbai is another institution that offers classes in Mumbai and Hyderabad.
In many private universities and institutions, where a degree course in audiology is offered, audiometry is taught as part of the course.
Audiometry tests are used to detect hearing problems and are not a diagnostic method. An audiometrist helps evaluate hearing loss, identifies impairment and advises on medical treatment.
“We get the audiometry test done at the Sri Ramachandra University’s audiology and speech therapy department. But, there are not enough audiometrists,” said Latha Rajendran, principal of MGR Home and Higher Secondary School for the Speech and Hearing Impaired.
In developed countries, audiometry is offered as a separate diploma course. There are courses on industrial audiometry. This course provides information on exposure to loud noise, as in factory or other industrial settings. The course also specifically addresses problems that also help the employers, who are provided information about tackling noise. The audiometrist is authorised to instruct the employees on using protective equipment for the ear and taking steps to reduce noise levels. The audiometrist helps identify hearing protection zones and restricts access to noisy areas.
S. Gopalakrishnan, head of ENT Department, JIPMER, said now that the national deafness programme had taken off, the government might consider offering the courses in more centres. A qualified candidate can expect to earn Rs. 5,000 to 10,000. The candidate could also opt for a B.Sc. in audiology and they are offered exemptions based on their qualification and experience, Dr. Gopalakrishnan said.
“An enterprising candidate would move to other countries such as Africa or Dubai where the emphasis is on training,” said ENT surgeon Ravi Ramalingam of KKR-ENT Hospital.
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