We cannot deny that 2020 has been an incredibly challenging and surprising year for all. My plan for the Summer of 2020 was to study abroad in Barcelona. I was accepted, deposit paid, small research project planned, just counting down the days. Then, COVID-19 disrupted the world and travel abroad was cancelled. In fact, even my trip back to OSU was cancelled. My one week spring break turned into a two week trip home and then was extended to a 5 month stay in Colorado without a goodbye to OSU.
But this did not deter my drive or my curiosity. The day that OSU study abroad was cancelled I emailed 30+ audiologists within 45 minutes of my hometown. Any local audiology contact information I found, I utilized. Out of curiosity, I asked how they were handling the pandemic and how they were still providing care to their patients. Some responded and I learned a lot about the different approaches and laws that different counties were facing. This opportunity allowed me to also connect to several different practices and discuss current events. One conversation in particular actually led to an internship!
Dr. Dusty Jessen AuD and I at Columbine Hearing Care
This past Summer I interned with Columbine Hearing Care, a private practice in Littleton, Colorado. My responsibilities consisted of technology inquiries, patient outreach and relations and office organization. I utilized the CounselEar system to schedule patients and log stock and loaner hearing aids and accessories. I also transferred patient data from NOAH to CounselEar. These programs are used by audiologists across the country. I replaced receivers and sorted hearing aid parts. Interaction with hearing aid providers to troubleshoot technology and order and assign demo stock allowed me to learn the parts of audiology that require innovation, advocating and patience.
The most rewarding part of the internship was calling patients to survey aural rehabilitation needs, answer questions and update medical information. I loved hearing patient testimonials about my preceptor and what a private practice offered them. Patients would ask questions that I could already directly apply my coursework to. When there were questions I couldn’t answer, I practiced customer service, researched and referred to the audiologist’s expertise. Most importantly, I witnessed and got to be a part of how a private practice handles a pandemic and works hard to still reach and provide care to patients.