Document Type

Capstone Project

Publication Date

Summer 7-2022

First Advisor

Antony Joseph, MA., Au.D., Ph.D., ABAC, CCC-A, CPS/A, F-NAP

Keywords

diversity, audiology, retention, recruitment

Disciplines

Speech Pathology and Audiology

Abstract

The racial composition of the Audiology workforce is, by no means, a reflection of the US population. Black and African American audiologists are disproportionately represented in the United States. Diverse audiologists are significantly underrepresented in clinical and academic fields. Inversely, students in the racial majority are overrepresented in Audiology and most medical specialties for that matter. This disparity may limit access to hearing-healthcare for some populations in the country. Several factors that contribute to this condition must be more fully understood before this issue can be corrected. Recruitment and retention must be improved to increase diversity, particularly students of color, within the profession of Audiology. Successful recruitment of students of color in the Communication Sciences and Disorders undergraduate major and other health science majors might be achieved through collaboration with Historically Black Colleges and Universities, establishment of a student mentoring program, targeted marketing campaigns, and the use of social media capabilities. A survey of Audiology programs and Doctor of Audiology students was analyzed and reported in an attempt to increase our understanding of how to properly address this issue.

Download

Share

COinS