Free exams at UC’s Speech & Hearing Clinic attract professional musicians

Free exams at UC's Speech & Hearing Clinic attract professional musicians

Student-led clinic offers hearing tests and listening devices

As a percussionist in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, David Fishlock faced a dilemma.

A clinical doctoral student in the audiology department of UC's College of Allied Health Sciences examines a patient in the Speech & Hearing Clinic. Photo/Colleen Kelley

The Speech & Hearing Clinic is staffed by 15 first-year clinical doctoral students in the audiology department of UC's College of Allied Health Sciences. They offer comprehensive hearing evaluations for free and can provide devices such as hearing aids and earplugs.

"It's a really cool opportunity we have through the clinic," said Lindsay Ngo, an audiology student from Marion, Indiana. "It's a really great opportunity for us that patients are trusting us to learn and become the next generation of audiologists."

Anyone can schedule an appointment at the clinic for a free examination. During exams, students go over their patients' case histories to gauge what types of noises they're exposed to, listen to any concerns patients have, perform diagnostic tests and discuss results, all in about one hour.

If hearing aids or earplugs are needed, students can create custom molds in the clinic. A professional manufacturer then makes them, a process that takes a couple weeks.

While the Speech & Hearing Clinic doesn't accept insurance, many patients still get their earplugs and hearing aids through it, as the prices are competitive, said Jessica Prewitt, an assistant professor and the lead audiologist at the clinic.

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra musicians have a collective bargaining agreement in place that offers reimbursement of up to $200 for earplugs. And that just happens to be the price of earplugs ordered through UC.

A musician earplug from UC's Speech & Hearing Clinic. Photo/Sarah Eifert

It's important for people to protect their ears, as damage to hearing - whether it be from music, power tools, shooting sports or something else - generally cannot be reversed.

"Once your hearing is gone, most of the time we can't improve it. We can only preserve what you have and amplify it from there. We can't reverse it," said Yanna Marrow, an audiology student from Lexington, Kentucky. "Once the damage is done, it's done."

Along with providing free services to community members, the Speech & Hearing Clinic at UC is valuable for students, as they get real-world experience. Later in their studies, students receive external placements.

"It's an invaluable experience that they get," Prewitt said. "Our students are really excited to be able to apply what they're learning in the clinic."

The clinic is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 513-558-8503.

"Whether you're a musician or not, having a baseline hearing test is a great thing," said Prewitt, who has her own pair of musician earplugs for when she attends concerts. "Over time, we know that hearing can change. Knowing how fast it's changing can help dictate what kinds of treatment we will implement. That baseline hearing test is really important, especially if you're exposed to loud noises from work, hobbies or the military."

Featured image at top: The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Photo/Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

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