Site:
VA Portland Healthcare System Audiology Clinic & National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research

Audiology Training Program – National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR) (va.gov)

Location:
3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road NCRAR/P5 and M/S 126 (Audiology Clinic)
Portland, OR 97239
United States

Description:
The Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Service and the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR) at the VA Portland Health Care System offer a joint AuD externship training program funded by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations.

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:
…has had 2 positions.

Clinical opportunities provided during the externship:
Audiologic evaluation
Immittance measures
Otoacoustic emissions
Hearing aid selection
Hearing aid fitting
Assistive listening devices
Vestibular evaluation
Electrophysiology evaluation
Tinnitus evaluation
Tinnitus management
Cochlear Implant evaluation
Cochlear Implant management
Auditory Processing evaluation
Auditory Processing management
Cerumen Management
Telehealth program

Clinical opportunities not listed above:
Progressive Tinnitus Management (PTM) and Tele-PTM, and bone-anchored hearing aids

Externship site expects the extern to have mastered these skills before they begin their clinical externship:
Diagnostic audiologic evaluation inc. pure-tone air/bone conduction testing, speech reception threshold testing, immittance measures, speech recognition testing, hearing aid selection/fitting. Excellent written/oral communication skills, being comfortable in a fast-paced clinical environment. Experience with conducting research and/or with evidence of skills/aptitude for conducting research, as this externship combines an urban hospital clinic with a large hearing research center setting.

Externship site expects the extern to learn/demonstrate these skills during their clinical externship:
Routine aspects of diagnostic audiologic evaluations inc. pure-tone air/bone conduction testing, speech reception threshold testing, immittance measures, speech recognition testing, otoacoustic emissions testing, hearing aid selection and hearing aid fitting. Externs will improve written/oral communication skills, and will demonstrate an understanding of the research process from inception to data collection and reporting. Externs will be encouraged to present research results at a conference.

Number of audiologists at site:
10

Number of staff at site:
60

Audiologists holding CCC-A certification:
6

Audiologists holding ABA certification:
0

What level of supervision is provided:
100% supervision provided

Number of patients seen per year:
10000

How many students per year both interns and externs:
3

Continuing Education opportunities:
NCRAR monthly seminars, Marquam Hill journal club, potential to present research at an annual conference depending on available funding

Travel to satellites required?:
Clinic placements may include placements at the Salem, Hillsboro, Vancouver and Portland campuses.

Are there interdisciplinary opportunities? If so what:
Progressive Tinnitus Management can involve behavioral health colleagues; ototoxicity monitoring can involve providing consults to the oncology team.

Are there research opportunities? If so what?:
Participate in multiple aspects of clinical research such as participant recruitment and testing, adherence to research protocols applying human subject participation regulations, writing of research notes, data entry and data reporting. Conduct a variety of clinical research procedures that may include audiometric testing, hearing aid fitting, central auditory processing testing, electroacoustic testing of hearing aids, tinnitus assessment and treatment and electrophysiological methods (ABR, middle and late EPs, OAEs). Attend NCRAR seminars and research meetings, participate in the grant-writing process, prepare publications and conference presentations, and conduct statistical analyses of research data.

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?
The Audiology Clinic and NCRAR program leads work with the university to establish expectations regarding student evaluation and training.

Site’s application requirements:

• Cover letter stating why you are interested in the joint AuD Externship program between the VA Portland Health Care System and VA National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR)
• Resume
• Unofficial undergraduate and graduate transcripts
• Three letters of recommendation (Note: At least one letter should be from a clinical preceptor and one from a university faculty member)

Site’s application deadline: 
9/17/2025 (Site follows ACEN timeline)

Site’s externship contact:
Dr. Heather Larson Heather.Larson@va.gov and/or Dr. Sarah Theodoroff sarah.theodoroff@va.gov

Anticipated decision date:
Consistent with the ACEN timeline, interviews will be held Sep-Oct 2025; the final day for interviews as well as initial offers is October 24, 2025.