Site:
Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center

Location:
116 N. Pauline St.
Audiology 112 H
Memphis, TN 38105
United States

Description:

The Memphis VAMC Audiology Department offers clinical services at the main Memphis facility and surrounding outpatient clinics in TN, AR, and MS. The Memphis facility has 5 sound booths and multiple fitting stations. The externship start date is May/June 2025 and is designed to be clinically challenging. Clinical experiences include hearing evaluations, cerumen management, hearing aid fittings, hearing aid repair clinic, Baha, CI, vestibular evaluations (VNG, VHIT, cVEMP, oVEMP, rotary chair), vestibular rehab, ASSR, ABR, ECochG, assistive listening devices, tinnitus counseling, and home-based audiology services. Additionally, the Memphis VA has a large telehealth program which includes programming, repairs, diagnostics, and fittings.

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:
The Memphis VA received two funded externships last year.

Clinical opportunities provided during the externship:

• Audiologic evaluation
• Immittance measures
• Otoacoustic emissions
• Hearing aid selection
• Hearing aid fitting
• Assistive listening devices
• Vestibular evaluation
• Rotational chair testing
• Vestibular rehabilitation
• Electrophysiology evaluation
• Tinnitus evaluation
• Tinnitus management
• Cochlear Implant evaluation
• Cochlear Implant management
• Cerumen Management
• Telehealth program
• ENT clinic
• Home-based audiology

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

• Basic adult hearing evaluations and acoustic immittance measures
• Basic hearing aid issuances
• Time management and report writing skills

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

• Hearing Evaluations
• QuickSIN
• Immittance
• Hearing Aid Assessments
• Hearing Aid Fittings including real-ear measures
• Hearing Aid Troubleshooting and Programming
• Telehealth Diagnostics, Fittings, Repairs, and Programming
• Neurodiagnostic ABR
• Auditory Steady State Response
• Electrocochleography
• Vestibular Evaluations (VNG, vHIT, oVEMP, cVEMP)
• Canalith Repositioning
• Cochlear Implant Candidacy Exams and mapping
• Tinnitus Counseling

Number of audiologists at site:
11

Number of staff at site:
18

Audiologists holding CCC-A certification:
13

What level of supervision is provided:
Graduated levels of supervision

Number of patients seen per year:
15,000

How many students per year both interns and externs:
15

Continuing Education opportunities:

• Virtual and in-house hearing aid manufacturers
• In-house vestibular inservices
• Mid-South Conference on Communicative Disorders
• JDVAC
• Off-site manufacturer trainings
• Weekly article reviews and Grand Rounds

Travel to satellites required?:
Yes

Are there interdisciplinary opportunities? If so what:

• Neurology Observation
• Otology Clinic and Surgery Observation
• Interdisciplinary balance evaluations

Are there research opportunities? If so what?:
None at this time

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?
Mid-Term and Final Evaluations; feedback as needed

Site’s application requirements:

• Cover Letter
• CV
• Unofficial transcripts (undergrad and grad)
• 3 Letters of Recommendation (at least 2 clinical)

Steps for the student/university to follow the application process:
Submit application package to Shannon N. Lieblong, Au.D.
Email:  shannon.lieblong@va.gov

Site’s application deadline:
9/18/24

Site’s externship contact:
Shannon N. Lieblong, Au.D.

Anticipated decision date:
10/29/23