The following information was taken directly from a fact sheet on the American Academy of Audiology website (www.audiology.org):
* Audiology is a highly recognized profession and has been ranked by U.S. News and Word Report as one of the Best Careers in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.
* What is an audiologist? = Au-di-ol-o-gists: Audiologists are the primary health-care professionals who evaluate, diagnose, treat, and manage hearing loss and balance disorders in adults and children.
* Most audiologists earn a doctor of audiology (AuD) degree. Some audiologists earn a doctor of philosophy (PhD) or doctor of science (ScD) degree in the hearing and balance sciences.
Regarding the last bullet, if you were wondering how long it takes to get your Au.D. degree, it's 4 years for most Au.D. degree programs such as the one I'm currently enrolled in. And not to insult your intelligence, but this is 4 additional years of school after earning a Bachelor's degree. So that totals 8 years of schooling post-high school. I feel as if I had to make a plug on this, because I would be a millionaire if I had a dime for every time a patient (or patient's spouse, friend, etc.) would ask me if I'm in school for 4 years after high school or college to get my degree in audiology (aka clinical doctorate).
Off that soapbox and now onto another one in honor of National Protect Your Hearing Month. ;-) The ATSU Chapter of the Student Academy of Audiology (ATSU SAA) recently had an Earmold Fundraiser in which custom-fit hearing protective devices were provided. Most of the funds raised help ATSU SAA members attend AudiologyNOW!, the annual convention for the American Academy of Audiology. You may remember seeing & reading about the custom molded ear plugs that I got back in the 2008 Earmold Fundraiser (refer to http://hear4u-always.blogspot.com/2009/08/85-decibels.html). Well, this year I decided that I wanted to get a pair of custom earbuds.
Below is a picture of my iPod with the custom earbuds attached to the earphones. I couldn't decide which color to get, and a classmate said to go with purple. So I did, and I'm pleased. They're pretty. :-) Because that's what's important, right? ;-P Not!
Below is a picture of what the custom earbud attached to the earphone looks like in my ear. If this Au.D. degree doesn't work out, maybe I can be an ear model? ;-) Again, not!
The custom earbuds were advertised as follows: "The acoustic design of [the] MP3 earbud molds optimizes the sound quality of standard in-ear headphones that come with MP3 players or iPods (the round earbuds that sit in the outer ear) and other audio equipment. The acoustic design makes lower volumes more satisfying to protect the hearing, while a secure fit keeps the earbuds in place during exercise or movement."
Above is a picture of the volume setting on my iPod without the custom earbuds attached. Below is a picture of the volume setting on my iPod with the custom earbuds attached. See the difference? There is a dramatic decrease in loudness level with use of the custom earbuds for listening comfort.
My personal feedback on this product = I was originally going to order the custom earbuds in the Ultraflex material since it is soft, and I figured that a soft material would be more comfortable on the ear. I wound up ordering the custom earbuds in the Lucite material which is hard, because some classmates who already owned custom earbuds told me that the soft material had a tendency to stick to your ear. After having worn my custom earbuds made with Lucite for a half hour on the treadmill yesterday and also prolonged wear of the custom earbuds while not getting my fitness on ;-), I can say that the Lucite material is perfectly comfortable to wear in the ear. I will admit that there is a tradeoff of sound quality versus intensity. I'm no musician but I've been a choir member for a few years and also have been able to play pieces of a song on the piano by listening to it (although reading the music sheet makes it much easier...). So I know what music is supposed to sound like, and having the custom earbuds attached to the earphones does take away just a smidge from the high fidelity the earphones provided without the custom earbuds. I choose to maintain my level of hearing sensitivity for as long as possible, so I'm going to continue using the custom earbuds and listen to my music at a lower intensity. And I'm not just saying the last line because I'm an aspiring audiologist. Honestly! Once you damage those hair cells of your inner ear from noise exposure, those hair cells don't grow back like the hair on your head. So protect your hearing, my friend..
I'm "Hear 4 U Always"...and keeping you ever aware (it's National Audiology Awareness Month!). Can't decide what to be for Halloween this year? Earplugs can be a fashion statement and a statement to others to protect their hearing (it's also National Protect Your Hearing Month!). You can't get much cooler than that. :-) Ear geek signing off...
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