Home
Members Login
Feb 04, 2012





How do I become a MNZAS Audiologist?


MNZAS Audiologists work in diverse roles and have the flexibility to work in different settings during their careers.

Public Hospital Audiology Clinic
Hospital Audiologists conduct diagnostic testing of hearing with infants, children and adults who have been referred by Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists, General Practitioners and Speech Language Therapists. Some Audiologists also conduct assessment of balance and auditory processing in the brain. Hearing Aids and assistive listening devices are often provided for adults and especially children to manage hearing problems.

Private Audiology Clinic
Audiologists practicing in this setting conduct diagnostic testing of hearing principally with adults who have self referred or have been referred by Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists, General Practitioner, the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) or War Pensions. Hearing Aids and assistive listening devices are typically provided for adults to manage hearing problems.

University
University based Audiologists may lecture to Audiology students and students of Allied Health fields e.g. Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists, Speech Language Therapists, Medical Students. They provide clinical tutoring for Audiology students and often participate in research related to hearing science, clinical research and hearing aids.

Deaf and Hearing Impaired Education Centre
Specialist Paediatric Audiologists are based at the Kelston Deaf Education Centre in Auckland and Van Ash Deaf Education in Christchurch. They manage the hearing problems of pre-school and school age children through ongoing diagnostic hearing assessment and provision of hearing aids and assistive listening devices. Their role is challenging as their patients often have other disabilities in addition to hearing loss.

Cochlear Implant Programme
Audiologists may specialise in helping infants, children or adults with very severe or profound hearing losses that are being considered for a cochlear implant or who are already using these devices. Monitoring of hearing performance and retuning of cochlear implants is performed regularly to optimise hearing acuity and comfort.

Product Support for Hearing aid Manufacturers
Hearing aid manufacturers often employ audiologists to provide technical support for their products.

Hospital Administration
Experienced Audiologists can also undertake administrative roles within District Health Boards.

Government Policy Adviser
Knowledge of hearing healthcare provision is necessary for Government planning and Audiologists may be employed or contracted to provide advice.

Future Hearing Care Professionals
A Master of Audiology Degree and a Certificate of Clinical Competence is required for entry into the New Zealand Audiological Society. This involves two years of postgraduate training and a further year of supervised clinical practice.

The New Zealand Audiological Society formally endorses the Masters in Audiology programmes of the University of Auckland and the University of Canterbury. Graduates of endorsed programmes are accepted as provisional members of the New Zealand Audiological Society with Full membership granted on successful completion of a minimum of 11 months of supervised clinical practice and a clinical exam.

The process of Programme Endorsement was developed in collaboration with the two New Zealand based audiology programmes at the Universities of Auckland and Canterbury.

The key purpose of endorsement is to allow providers to engage in critical self-reflection with a view to considering forward-looking improvements and innovations, and to assure the NZAS that the graduates from the postgraduate programmes meet the expectations of the profession. University of Auckland
http://www.health.auckland.ac.nz/audiology

Enquires to: Dr Grant Searchfield
Senior Lecturer
School of Population Health
University of Auckland
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 89257
Email: g.searchfield@auckland.ac.nz


University of Canterbury
http://www.cmds.canterbury.ac.nz/courses/maud.shtml

Enquiries to:
Catherine Moran
Head of Department
Department of Communication Disorders
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand
Email: catherine.moran@canterbury.ac.nz


Current Hearing Care Professionals
The equivalent of the New Zealand Master of Audiology (MAud) Degree is required for consideration of membership of the New Zealand Audiological Society.

Applicants with qualifications obtained outside New Zealand must have these reviewed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and the executive council of the NZAS for equivalence with a New Zealand MAud degree. If equivalence is confirmed then depending on whether you have a CCC or not, you will be a fast track member or a full supervised year must be successfully completed to ensure standards of clinical practice are appropriate prior to acceptance into the New Zealand Audiological Society.


Information on the exact requirements for overseas candidates can be downloaded here
Overseas Enquiry Letter

The New Zealand Audiological Society recognises some countries as having equivalent CCC requirements.

If you have a two year Masters degree in audiology deemed to be equivalent to a New Zealand Masters of Audiology and you have a current ASA-CCP, BAA-CAC or ASHA-CCCA, you will be accepted as a fast track Provisional Member and after having 2 secondments, will only be required to pass an exam and oral test (covering topics such as New Zealand specific services) in order to be eligible to apply for full membership.

Application forms for membership can be downloaded here.

This form to be used for all provisional membership applications including fast track applications.

Comments from Candidates who have been through the CCC process can be downloaded here.

For further information contact:

Maree Gunn
Executive Officer
New Zealand Audiological Society Inc
PO Box 9724
Newmarket, Auckland, New Zealand
Email: executiveofficer@audiology.org.nz
Free Phone (NZ only): 0800 625 166
Phone (direct line)