3141 Audiologists and speech-language pathologists

3141 Audiologists and speech-language pathologists

Audiologists diagnose, evaluate and treat individuals with peripheral and central hearing loss, tinnitus and balance problems. Speech-language pathologists diagnose, assess and treat human communication disorders including speech, fluency, language, voice and swallowing disorders. Audiologists and speech-language pathologists are employed in hospitals, community and public health centres, extended care facilities, day clinics, rehabilitation centres and educational institutions, or may work in private practice. Audiologists and speech-language pathologists who are supervisors are included in this unit group.

Example Titles

• amplification audiologist
• audiologist
• audiologist, research
• audiology clinician
• audiology specialist
• certified audiologist
• certified hearing aid audiologist
• clinical audiologist
• community audiologist
• community speech-language pathologist
• diagnostic audiologist
• dispensing audiologist
• educational audiologist
• educational speech-language pathologist
• human communication disorders specialist
• industrial audiologist
• logopedist
• pathologist, speech
• pathologist, speech-language
• pediatric audiologist
• research audiologist
• specialist, audiology
• speech and hearing therapist
• speech pathologist
• speech therapist
• speech-language clinician
• speech-language pathologist
• speech-language pathologist clinician
• speech-language pathologist researcher
• therapist, speech
• therapist, speech and hearing

Main duties

Audiologists perform some or all of the following duties:

• Develop and administer audiometric tests and examinations using specialized instruments and electronic equipment to diagnose and evaluate the degree and type of patients' hearing impairment

• Plan and implement habilitation/rehabilitation programs for patients, including selection, fitting and adjustment of amplification devices, such as hearing aids, and teaching speech (lip) reading

• Provide information to patients and families regarding the nature, extent, impact and implications of hearing loss and treatment

• Establish personalized care plans working as a member of an interdisciplinary team

• Conduct research related to hearing and hearing disorders

• May instruct and supervise audiometric technicians, students and other health care personnel.

Speech-language pathologists perform some or all of the following duties:

• Administer tests and examinations and observe patients to diagnose and evaluate speech, voice, resonance, language, cognitive-linguistic and swallowing disorders

• Develop, plan and implement remedial programs to correct speech, voice, language, resonance, cognitive-linguistic and swallowing disorders

• Establish group and personalized care plans working as a member of an interdisciplinary team

• Provide advice and educational services to patients and families regarding communication and swallowing disorders

• Conduct research on speech and other communication disorders and on the development and design of diagnostic procedures and devices

• May instruct and supervise communicative disorders assistants, students and other health care personnel.

Employment requirements

• Audiologists require a master's degree in audiology.

• Speech-language pathologists require a master's degree in speech-language pathology.

• Registration with a regulatory body is required for audiologists and speech-language pathologists in New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

• Membership in the national association, Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists, is usually required.

• In some jurisdictions, audiologists may be required to obtain a separate licence to dispense hearing aids.

Additional information

• Progression into management positions, such as chief audiologist or director of speech-language pathology, is possible with experience.