Site:
Minneapolis VA Medical Center

Location:
1 Veterans Drive
Minneapolis , MN 55417
United States

Description:
The Minneapolis VA Medical Center is excited to offer a  4th year externship position for 2024-2025, with an anticipated start date of June 2024. The Audiology department at the Minneapolis VAMC is part of a large 1A medical facility with 15 Audiologists and 2 Health Technicians.

Number of externship positions:
1

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:
Historically our site has been awarded one OAA funded externship position.

Clinical opportunities provided during the externship:

• Audiologic evaluation
• Immittance measures
• Otoacoustic emissions
• Hearing aid selection
• Hearing aid fitting
• Assistive listening devices
• Electrophysiology evaluation
• Tinnitus management
• Cochlear Implant evaluation
• Cochlear Implant management
• Cerumen Management
• Telehealth program
• ENT clinic
• Industrial/hearing conservation
• Inter-operative monitoring

Clinical opportunities not listed above:
Osseointegrated devices

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

• Professionalism
• Time management
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including report writing
• Comprehensive audio logic evaluations (including immittance and OAEs)
• Hearing aid fittings (including real ear measures)
• Basic hearing aid selection and troubleshooting
• Knowledge of electrophysiologic and vestibular tests

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

• Increased confidence in making independent clinical decisions
• Develop ability to establish rapport with professionals and patients
• Knowledge of billing/coding procedures
• Proficiency performing cochlear implant evaluations and mapping
• Continued refinement and increased efficiency of audiologic diagnostic and treatment skills
• Integration of accessories and assistive listening devices to support hearing aid fittings

Number of audiologists at site:
15

Number of staff at site:
20

Audiologists holding CCC-A certification:
8

What level of supervision is provided:
Increasing level of independence as the year progresses. Supervisor will always be available. Students do not have their own schedules.

How many students per year both interns and externs:
4-5

Continuing Education opportunities:
Students are welcome to attend in-house hearing aid manufacturer and equipment vendor trainings, as well as state/national conferences and other training opportunities.

Travel to satellites required?:
No

Are there interdisciplinary opportunities? If so what:

• ENT
• Cochlear implant interdisciplinary team, consisting of ENT, Audiology, Mental Health, and Speech Pathology

Are there research opportunities? If so what?:
Not 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?
Ongoing communication with the university will be maintained throughout the year regarding student expectations, progress, and evaluation.

Site’s application requirements:

• Letter of Intent
• Resume/CV
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Transcripts (unofficial will be accepted)

Steps for the student/university to follow the application process:
Interested applicants should submit the required materials to Alexandra.Edwards2@va.gov by September 22, 2023.

Site’s application deadline:
September 22, 2023

Site’s externship contact:
Alexandra Edwards, Au.D., CCC-A
alexandra.edwards2@va.gov

Anticipated decision date:
No later than October 23, 2023