Site:
Columbia VA Healthcare System

Location:
6439 Garners Ferry Road
Columbia, South Carolina 296209
United States

Description:
The WJB Dorn VAMC in Columbia, South Carolina is excited to offer a funded 4th-year Audiology Externship for 2026-2027. This is a 12-month, full-time (2080 hours), funded externship with an anticipated start date of May/June 2027. CCC-A supervised hours will be available. The facility is a short drive to downtown Columbia, which offers a variety of fantastic indoor & outdoor activities (https://www.experiencecolumbiasc.com/)! We are also located near the University of South Carolina and the Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Garden. The WJB Dorn is the main VA medical center for the Columbia VA Health Care System. Externs will complete the majority of their training at the Columbia VA (7 audiologists, 2 health technicians), but will have opportunities to rotate through the Greenville VA CBOC (Greenville, SC) and CBOC in Anderson, SC.

Number of externship positions:
1, with possibility for a second funded externship position pending approval

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:  1 funded position – We have applied for a second, fully funded 4^th year position, but have not heard back yet if this has been approved

Clinical opportunities provided during the externship:

• Audiologic evaluation
• Immittance measures
• Otoacoustic emissions
• Hearing aid selection
• Hearing aid fitting
• Assistive listening devices
• Vestibular evaluation
• Tinnitus Management
• Cochlear Implant Evaluation
• Cochlear Implant Management
• Auditory Processing Evaluation
• Auditory Processing Management
• Electrophysiology evaluation
• Cerumen Management
• Telehealth program

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

• Be able to complete a standard audiologic assessment which includes: case history, immittance measures, air conduction, bone conduction, speech testing (quiet & noise), and masking.
• Be able to complete a standard hearing aid selection and fitting which includes: counseling, earmold impressions, and real ear measures.
• Basic ability to write comprehensive reports.

Externship site expects the extern to learn/demonstrate these skills during their clinical externship:
Externs are expected to continue their development from a trainee to independent clinicians throughout the externship year. Externs are to be able to complete a comprehensive audiologic assessment, hearing aid selection, hearing aid fitting, and hearing aid follow-ups independently at the conclusion of the externship year. Electrophysiologic measures, vestibular evaluations, and appropriate interdisciplinary referrals should be areas of proficiency at the conclusion of the externship year.

Number of audiologists at site:
23

Number of staff at site:
18

Audiologists holding CCC-A certification:
7

Audiologists holding ABA certification:
0

What level of supervision is provided:
100% – externs WILL NOT have their own schedule

Number of patients seen per year:
Over 7,000 served in-person and virtually

How many students per year both interns and externs:
1, with possibility for a second funded externship position pending approval

Continuing Education opportunities:
Externs will partake in the monthly staff continuing education meetings (i.e., hearing aid vendor trainings). Externs may also be afforded the opportunity to attend other continuing education opportunities relevant to their clinical training.

Travel to satellites required?:
Required – up to one day a week, though this may change.

Are there interdisciplinary opportunities? If so what:
In Development – clinic establishing collaborative arrangement with the Eye Clinic, Physical Therapy Clinic, and Polytrauma Team in order to allow extern to interdisciplinary experiences relevant to audiology.

Are there research opportunities? If so what?:
There are no current funded research projects for externs to assist with; however, extern may be afforded the opportunity for an independent study in an area of interest.

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?
We require regular communication from the university prior to the extern start date while developing academic affiliations. We will continue to require email communication at least 1x per semester to discuss student progress.

Site’s application requirements:

• Letter of Intent
• Resume or CV
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Recent Transcripts (unofficial are acceptable)

Steps for the student/university to follow the application process:
Applicants should submit all the above (a single email is preferred; however, letter of recommendation may be delivered by their authors separately) to megan.gainer@va.gov by Monday, September 1st, 2027.

Site’s application deadline:
September 1st, 2027

Site’s externship contact:
Megan Gainer, Au.D. (megan.gainer@va.gov)

Site’s anticipated decision date:
September 22nd, 2027