Guest Section Editors
Lizanne Steenkamp,
Lecturer in Audiology,
Speech and Hearing Sciences,
Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, UK.
Rosalyn Parker, CS MSc FBSA,
Evaluation Healthcare Scientist,
Northern Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering, UK.
The decision to become an audiology professional (i.e. audiologist, hearing instrument practitioner/hearing aid dispenser) is typically based on the aim to work with patients in the provision of hearing healthcare, whether that is within a health service or the private sector.
Embarking on that first job after graduation or finishing a relevant training pathway is the first step on the journey of discovery in all things ear related, often taking adventurous side roads into education, research and policy development. As audiology professionals, we all think that joining the profession can only result in working with patients in a clinical setting, but the reality is that there are many transferable skills developed as part of being an audiology professional that can translate into other related areas. The opportunity to guest edit for the Trainee Takeover section in this issue, provided us with an opportunity to reflect on our journeys.
Lizanne: My journey to audiology was accidental. I enrolled on a speech and language therapy course in South Africa without knowing that it would result in becoming an audiologist as well. Being an audiologist gave me the opportunity to move to Scotland in 2005 and since then I have worked clinically in the National Health Service and lecturing in higher education. I have also had opportunities to contribute to the professional organisations in the United Kingdom as well as regulatory bodies. My interests are to develop and support the future workforce in audiology through teaching and curriculum design, as well as accreditation of courses leading to eligibility to register and work as an audiology professional.
Ros: One of the joys I have working within audiology and healthcare science has been the variety and evolving roles and areas of practice that I have been fortunate enough to experience and engage with. Since qualifying in 2010, I have undertaken clinical and research roles within large UK audiology services with interests including auditory implants, vestibular assessment and rehabilitation, patient and public involvement, and the impact of noise on auditory and vestibular function. In 2022, I took the next step in my career journey joining the audiology lecturing team at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, where I continue to use my clinical and research expertise in a teaching capacity.In this issue, we will hear from audiology professionals with a range of different journeys.
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