
In addition to screening 273 members of the public on campus in November, the students visited two elementary schools in the Montreal area to provide screenings to around 200 children.
Members of the public curious about their hearing health were welcomed at the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders (SCSD) for free hearing screenings on November 20 and 21.
The checkups on campus allowed second-year students in the MSc(A) in Communication Sciences to hone their skills by screening 273 people from the McGill community and beyond.
Earlier this year, the class of 28 master’s students also visited two elementary schools in the Montreal area on November 13 and 14 to screen approximately 200 children and several teachers. At each school, they also provided hearing loss prevention information to sixth graders.
Technical and communication skills
Maryse Robidoux-Léonard, M.P.A., Au.D., an audiologist who works closely with the SCSD, organized the events on campus and in elementary schools. She says the experience of offering screenings to the general public – both adults and children – is essential for the students as they prepare to graduate.
Hearing screenings involve three processes, beginning with an otoscopy to check for earwax or obstructions. Next, a tympanometry test measures how the eardrum and middle ear work using a small probe. Finally, participants are played sounds of varying volumes and frequencies in order to identify potential hearing loss.
Alongside these technical skills, students must also perfect their ability to clearly explain these procedures to patients, says Robidoux-Léonard.
“We work in a field of communication and need to communicate with the public,” she adds. “Having days like these really pushes our students to do this, and our students did really well.”
If a hearing issue was identified, Robidoux-Léonard and Gigi Cho, M.P.A., another clinical audiologist, were on hand to provide information and referrals for a full hearing evaluation.
Giving back and raising awareness
Free hearing screenings at the SCSD and in the wider community have become a fixture in the assessment of students in the MSc(A) program. They are also a key part of the School’s community outreach and engagement activities, says Lauren Tittley, M.SHC, S-LP (C), Faculty Lecturer (Professional) and Coordinator of Clinical Education at the SCSD.
“Our students depend on members of the general public being okay with them learning while providing services, whether that’s in our own in-house clinics, or when they are out in external community placements,” she explains.
“It’s such a generous thing that people allow for students to be involved in their care, so it’s great when we can provide a service that is valuable to the community as well.”
The events are also designed to raise awareness of early detection of hearing loss and prevention, and attracted media coverage from CBC News, the Montreal Gazette and CityNews.
“We answered so many questions from the public about so many topics, including hearing protection during concerts or noisy events,” says Robidoux-Léonard. “We also received questions about tinnitus, hearing aids, or how people could help a relative who wears a hearing aid use it properly.”
Critical experience for future S-LPs
Speaking about her experience offering hearing screenings, second-year master’s student Maddie Heleno said: “Although performing hearing screenings isn’t within the typical scope of a speech-language pathologist (S-LP), hearing is fundamental to speech and language and is therefore so critical to our work.”
“By performing hearing assessments to community members, we were able to solidify our knowledge of hearing loss and related disorders which thereby informs our care as clinicians.”
Achsah-Maria Sarfo, another second-year master’s student, called the free hearing screenings a “rewarding experience”.
“Through this initiative, we were able to provide attendees with valuable information regarding their hearing concerns, making a meaningful contribution to their hearing health,” she said. “This experience deepened my commitment to supporting initiatives that promote early detection and benefit the community.”
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