Hearing Instrument Specialist
Program Overview
Hearing instrument specialists are valued members of a hearing health-care team. They conduct comprehensive diagnostic hearing assessments, develop hearing health-care plans, dispense advanced digital assistive hearing devices and evaluate outcomes using evidence-based verification methods.
In the Hearing Instrument Specialist diploma program, you will develop the academic knowledge and hands-on, real-world experience required to become a valued hearing health professional. We combine online and in-person learning models, work-integrated learning, exceptional faculty and state of the art facilities to prepare students to skillfully work within their scope of practice and collaborate effectively as part of an interdisciplinary health-care team. Graduates of our program develop the confidence to adapt to the evolving needs of today’s patient and the emerging technologies for patient care and hearing devices.
This program develops holistic and critical thinkers, confident clinicians and compassionate communicators who will become outstanding professionals, effective practitioners and leading contributors in their field.
Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:
- Assess the hearing levels of a patient and fit assistive hearing devices using knowledge of sound, the sense of hearing, and the anatomical and physiological causes of hearing.
- Participate collaboratively as an integral member of an interprofessional hearing health care team to enhance patient outcomes.
- Analyze emerging technologies for patient care and assistive hearing devices to seamlessly adapt to the current consumer market.
- Develop a thorough assistive hearing devices recommendation for clients, and design a hearing health care plan, integrating case history and subjective goal-oriented discussion, audiometric test findings, health promotion, financial considerations, and medical referrals.
- Measure and modify hearing aid function utilizing appropriate verification and validation measures to ensure optimal performance.
- Apply entrepreneurial/business strategies to identify and respond to new opportunities in hearing health practice.
- Provide recommendations to patients and family members using patient-centered and culturally sensitive communication skills.
- Perform all roles and responsibilities as a Hearing Instrument Specialist in accordance with accepted professional, ethical, and provincial legislative standards.
Work Placement
Our curriculum is designed to emphasize depth and breadth in your clinical experience. You will have the opportunity to practise your skills with two work placements. These will include a combination of on campus clinical and community opportunities. You will be offered a selection of approved placement sites which will allow you to experience clinical work, marketing and sales, or research and development. Some placements may be outside of the Greater Toronto area.
Program Highlights
Experience a number of interesting and unique courses within the program such as:
Fundamental Principles of Hearing Devices
Learn the history of hearing aids, basic principles of electronics and circuitry, and how this relates to the circuitry of hearing devices and styles of hearing aids. Apply this knowledge to choose the appropriate hearing device for a patient profile, and how to compare the benefits and limitations of each hearing aid style.
Patient Psychology and Counselling Skills
Explore the individual, familial, and societal impacts of hearing loss on a psychological, emotional, and social level. Formulate the necessary skills to connect with patients on an empathetic, culturally sensitive, and professional level. Become adept at in-depth case history taking and having goal-oriented discussions to motivate patients in their hearing rehabilitation.
Disorders
Identify various pathologies within the peripheral and central auditory system. Collaborate confidently with other medical professionals if referral is warranted. Through this course, you will understand the pathologies behind different types of hearing loss such as hyperacusis, tinnitus, and noise induced hearing loss.
Open the Course drawer in Program Overview to reveal the program curriculum.
Hearing professional guiding a patient through the selection of hearing aid from a range of options.
An audiogram, an otoscope, a pair of demo hearing aids, and an artificial ear used to demonstrate how a hearing aid might look.
Hearing professional showing a patient a range of hearing aid options to best suit their hearing loss.
The Humber Advantage
State-of-the-art Facilities
Our hearing instrument specialist lab boasts state-of-the-art facilities that provide students with a high-quality learning environment. Our well-equipped labs feature leading-edge equipment that allows students to gain practical experience in the field. Students engage in hands-on, simulated real world learning already within their first semester, and scaffolded throughout the program, which ensures that students receive the technical and employability skills they need to succeed in their future careers.
In the third semester of the program, the learning lab serves as our on-site Hearing Instrument Specialist Learning Clinic. Students, who are supervised by professionals within the hearing healthcare field, benefit from the opportunity to fully integrate theory and practice. With immediate, personalized, and constructive feedback within their clinical placements, students will gain comprehensive practical skills and graduate with the confidence needed to succeed in the field. From appointment booking to clinic organization and marketing to patient care, our clinic aims to provide students with a well-rounded experience that can help them thrive in their future careers. All of these features combined make our hearing instrument specialist combined lab and clinic space the perfect place to learn and grow as a professional.
An Education in High Demand
The Hearing Instrument Specialist diploma program will prepare you well as the need for professionals in this field continues to rise in Canada.
Professional and Community Partnerships
Humber maintains strong partnerships within the community – and is the preferred choice by many agencies and facilities because of the Faculty of Health Sciences & Wellness reputation.
The Humber Experience
The Right Fit
You are collaborative, a problem solver and have a desire to help. You are driven and motivated and have strong interpersonal skills. You have the desire to use your experiences and knowledge to help others.
Your Career
As the aging demographic in Canada continues to expand, there is a high demand for strongly skilled hearing instrument specialists. The job outlook for this profession in Ontario is positive.
Graduates are prepared for various employment opportunities including clinical, business, manufacturing, marketing and sales, research and development, technical support, plus entrepreneurial endeavours. This industry is dynamic in its movement and opportunities in patient-centered health care as it continues to evolve with the advancement of technology.
Hearing instrument specialists can work in a clinic or hospital setting testing for hearing loss and fitting hearing aids in adults. They can also manage the sales and business side of a company or choose to be an entrepreneur and open their own testing and dispensing clinic. A hearing instrument specialist can work for a hearing aid manufacturer as a sales marketing manager, specialist in product manufacturing, technical support, or research and development of new and upcoming hearing aid technology.
Program Availability
Humber Students Benefit from Five Centres of Innovation (COIs)
The Humber Centres of Innovation Network demonstrates our strong commitment to providing an experiential learning environment for students. Students and faculty work with industry partners on real-world challenges to prepare them to become the innovative and strategic problem-solvers of tomorrow. Come to Humber and experience interdisciplinary learning across five COIs.
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On October 21, 2019, the Provincial Government of Ontario announced the renaming of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU). Both names may appear on this website.
