Site:
Connecticut VA

Location:
950 Campbell Ave
West Haven, Connecticut 06516
United States

Description:
We are the VISN 1 implant center for New England working with all three Cochlear Implant manufacturers, bone anchored hearing aids and middle ear implants and our facility is closely affiliated with Yale New Haven Hospital. Our West Haven campus has the Eastern Blind Rehabilitation Program, our supervisors are actively participating in research and we work closely with ENT and Speech language pathology as we share an office space. We offer a full range of clinical experiences , including vestibular testing and treatment, tinnitus informational groups and PTM, CAP testing for adults, and aural rehabilitation

Number of externship positions:
2

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:
Over the past years we have had 1 funded extern but have also taken 1 unfunded extern.

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 evaluation
Tinnitus management
Cochlear Implant evaluation
Cochlear Implant management
Auditory Processing evaluation
Auditory Processing management
Cerumen Management
Telehealth program
ENT clinic
Inter-operative monitoring

Externship site expects the extern to have mastered these skills before they begin their clinical externship:
Basic audiometry
Working knowledge of hearing aids
Chart writing

Externship site expects the extern to learn/demonstrate these skills during their clinical externship:
We expect that students will be go-getters who consistently strive to learn and who will become integral contributors to our clinics running smoothly.

Number of audiologists at site:
10

Number of staff at site:
15

Audiologists holding CCC-A certification:
5

What level of supervision is provided:
Tailored to each student’s needs and dependent on appointment type.

How many students per year both interns and externs:
8

Continuing Education opportunities:
Hearing aid manufacturer trainings (in clinic and outside)
JDVAC

Travel to satellites required?:
Yes. In the past we have rotated students through both our West Haven campus and our Newington campus.

Are there interdisciplinary opportunities? If so what:
TBI clinic participation
Blind rehab facility patient coordination
Speech-Language Pathology patient coordination
ENT coordination
Prior to COVID we had begun to work with our on-site long term care

Our main campus office is in a shared space with speech and ENT, this leads to good communication between those clinics and providers.

Are there research opportunities? If so what?:
Yes, most of our providers have the ability to work or are currently working on research projects. We have multiple providers who have presented their research at different conferences.

What communication or other support do you expect or require from university during externship?
We are flexible and will do what is needed for each student and each university

Site’s application requirements:
– Cover Letter
– Resume or CV
– Two letters of recommendation
– At least one letter must be from a non-university supervisor
– Unofficial Transcript

Steps for the student/university to follow the application process:
Please have interested applicants submit the following to Kelsey.Bill@va.gov no later than ACEN application deadline.

Only complete applications (all materials received) are considered.
Late applications may be considered at a later date if positions remain unfilled.

Site’s application deadline:
End of September (will be following ACEN timeline)

Site’s externship contact:
Kelsey.Bill@va.gov 

Anticipated decision date:
End of October (will be following ACEN timeline)