Nashville, Tenn — The Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center will be hosting its annual “Hearing Aid Hands-On Workshop” on October 13 – 15, 2011.

This 3-day event will review all aspects of hearing aid selection, fitting, and verification. After completing this 13-hour workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Identify clinical concerns related to prescriptive fitting methods and probe microphones
  • List pre-fitting measures and describe their use
  • Describe the current best practice clinical management of cochlear dead regions
  • Describe the application of frequency lowering and frequency compression algorithms
  • Describe recent advances in directional, noise reduction, and feedback suppression technology
  • Describe the use of speech mapping techniques in the verification of gain, output, and special features
  • Describe recent advances in Baha and other special fittings
  • List the clinical decisions that are important when selecting open canal hearing aids

The faculty for the course includes Gus Mueller, PhD, Todd Ricketts, PhD, Ben Hornsby, PhD, and Bill Dickinson, AuD.

There also will be hands-on activities with hearing aid manufacturers, software, the new DSL and NAL fitting algorithms, and probe-mic equipment from various manufacturers.

The organizers also note that in addition to the educational component, there will be ample time to enjoy the sights and sounds of Nashville’s "Music City" in the evenings.

Visit Vanderbilt’s Web site for more information and registration.

SOURCE: Vanderbilt Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences