Site:
James H. Quillen VA Medical Center

Location:
Corner of Lamont & Veterans Way
Mountain Home, TN 37684
United States

Description:
The James H. Quillen VA Medical Center is pleased to announce a paid audiology externship position available at our main campus in Mountain Home, TN for the 2026-2027 cycle. This full-time position, lasting up to 12 months (2080 hours), is offered to Au.D. candidates in their final year of training. The expected start date is early to mid-May.

Situated in the picturesque region of northeast Tennessee (Johnson City), the James H. Quillen VAMC spans 240 acres, featuring over 50 buildings, a scenic pond, and a National Cemetery. As a teaching hospital, the medical center delivers comprehensive patient care services using cutting-edge technology, while also focusing on education and research. Our Audiology clinic has a rich history of equipping graduate students for successful careers in audiology, with many former students becoming staff members either at our facility or within other VA healthcare systems.

Number of externship positions:
We have one funded position available at our main campus in Mountain Home. Additionally, our Knoxville Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) offers a funded position that requires a separate application. Application requirements for this position can be found under the William C. Tallent Outpatient Clinic – Knoxville Annex I.

Funding is assigned by the Office of Academic Affairs and may not have been determined by the application deadline. OAA funding is announced nationally at the same time which should allow sites to know funding at approximately the same time.

Historically, our site:
Receives funding for two paid externships, one of which is shared with our Knoxville CBOC (see above).

Clinical opportunities provided during the externship:

• Audiologic evaluation
• Immittance measures
• Otoacoustic emissions
• Hearing aid selection
• Hearing aid fitting
• Assistive listening devices
• Vestibular evaluation
• Vestibular rehabilitation
• Electrophysiology evaluation
• Tinnitus management
• Cerumen management
• Cochlear implant evaluation
• Cochlear implant management
• Osseointegrated devices

Clinical opportunities not listed above:

• Monthly inpatient audiological care at our Community Living Center (CLC)
• Interdisciplinary opportunities
• Possibilities to participate in auditory and/or vestibular research

Externship site expects the extern to have mastered these skills before they begin their clinical externship:

• Diagnostic hearing evaluation (pure tone and speech audiometry, immittance, otoscopy); should have good understanding of masking principles
• Basic hearing aid fittings utilizing real-ear measurements
• Basic hearing aid repair
• Timely and accurate report writing
• Good interpersonal skills and motivation to learn

Externship site expects the extern to learn/demonstrate these skills during their clinical externship:

• Enhance clinical skills and improve time management
• Analyze findings and make informed, autonomous clinical decisions
• Independently perform diagnostic hearing evaluations, hearing aid selection and hearing aid fitting
• Become proficient in vestibular evaluation and treatment, cochlear implant evaluation and management, and tinnitus management

Number of audiologists at site:
12

Number of staff at site:
1 health technician

Audiologists holding CCC-A certification:
11

Audiologists holding ABA certification:
0

What level of supervision is provided:
The level of supervision for externs is aligned with their clinical performance, which will be assessed at least three times per semester. Externs are not allowed to maintain their own schedule, and all supervision is provided by ASHA-certified audiologists.

Number of patients seen per year:
10,773

How many students per year both interns and externs:
1 extern
4 second year Au.D. students from East Tennessee State University

Continuing Education opportunities:

• Students are required to attend our monthly case conference conducted with East Tennessee State University. You will be asked to present at least once during the year.
• Students will have the opportunity to attend on-site, and virtual hearing aid training provided by hearing aid manufacturers.
• Students may attend ASHA, AAA, JDVAC and/or state audiology conferences.

Travel to satellites required?
The extern will have the opportunity to visit the audiology clinic at the Knoxville CBOC at least once during the externship.

Are there interdisciplinary opportunities? If so what?:
Externs will have the opportunity to observe in the following clinics:

• Polytrauma
• Low vision
• Physical therapy (vestibular rehabilitation)
• Speech-Language pathology

We are continually looking to enhance the interdisciplinary experience, so there may be additional opportunities available that are not listed.

Are there research opportunities? If so what?:
Students may have the opportunity to work in the Mountain Home Hearing and Balance Research Program on funded and unfunded research studies.

Do you have a consortium or collaborative arrangements with other sites that provides additional experience?
No

What communication or other support do you expect or require from university during externship?
In addition to completing the necessary VA documents before the extern’s start date, we anticipate regular email communication regarding the due dates for student evaluations.

Site’s application requirements:
Cover letter
CV/resume (including total number of clinical hours to date)
Unofficial transcripts
3 Letters of Recommendation

• At least one must be from an off-campus placement
• Can be emailed directly from the author

Steps for the student/university to follow the application process:
All materials must be submitted in one email; however, letters of recommendation may be delivered separately. All materials should be submitted to Jennifer Sears, Au.D., via email at Jennifer.Sears@va.gov.

The student must meet all academic/university requirements for advancement to the 4th year externship and must be able to start in early/mid-May 2026.

Site’s application deadline:
Applications are due September 10, 2025.

Only complete applications (all materials received) are considered.
Late applications may be considered if the position remains unfilled.

Site’s externship contact:
Jennifer Sears, Au.D., (Jennifer.Sears@va.gov)

Anticipated decision date:
First offers will begin mid-September