The Orlando VA Healthcare System is a Complexity 1A VA facility and offers audiological services at 6 sites of care in Central Florida. We also have clinics in Daytona Beach, Viera, Tavares, and Deltona. We have a total of 37.8 audiologists and 10 health technicians on staff. In addition to diagnostic and hearing instrument services, we offer cerumen management, virtual tinnitus management classes, auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing, comprehensive vestibular evaluation (including rotary chair, VEMPS, vHIT, and in-clinic BPPV management), and telehealth audiology visits. Time spent training with us will count towards federal service. Basic healthcare will be offered as a benefit. Start date will be June 2027.

Number of externship positions:

3 Funding is assigned by the Office of Academic Affairs and may not have been determined by the application deadline. OAA funding is announced nationally at the same time which should allow sites to know funding at approximately the same time. Historically, our site: has been awarded 3 funded 4th year traineeships each year. Clinical opportunities provided during the externship: Audiologic evaluation Immittance measures Otoacoustic emissions Hearing aid selection Hearing aid fitting Assistive listening devices Vestibular evaluation Vestibular rehabilitation Electrophysiology evaluation Tinnitus evaluation Tinnitus management Cochlear Implant management Auditory Processing management Cerumen Management Telehealth program ENT clinic Clinical opportunities not listed above: Virtual/remote hearing aid care, virtual tinnitus program, professional development activities, audiology phone clinic, hearing aid drop-off clinic, access to MedSim Lab Externship site expects the extern to have mastered these skills before they begin their clinical externship: Solid foundation and skills in the following areas: otoscopic examination, comprehensive audiological evaluation, hearing aid fitting, hearing aid verification measurements, hearing aid follow-up & trouble shooting, auditory ABR testing, vestibular testing, tinnitus counseling, aural rehabilitation, interpersonal communication, and professionalism. Proficient professional writing and grammar skills are preferred. Trainees will continue to develop and master these skills throughout the year. Externship site expects the extern to learn/demonstrate these skills during their clinical externship: Comprehensive audiological evaluation Comprehensive vestibular evaluation Cerumen management Hearing aid fitting & orientation Hearing aid verification measurement Hearing aid & accessory programming, follow-up, and repair Counseling & aural rehabilitation Comprehensive vestibular evaluation Tinnitus counseling & management ABR testing Telehealth & virtual/remote hearing aid care Flexibility Ability to take and apply feedback from preceptors Interpersonal skills Professionalism Professional writing skills

Externship Information:

Primary Practice Setting:

VA medical center Number of Audiologists at the site: 1 FTE Masters Degree 37 FTE Au.

D. 0 FTE

Ph.

D. 0 FTE

Other Doctorate (ScD) 10 FTE professional support staff (technicians/audiometric assistants) 10 FTE Clerical Support Staff Number of Audiology Students each year: 0 1st year AuD Clinical Rotations 0 2nd year 1 3rd year 3 4th year Externships Financial arrangements: Stipend Will interview travel be compensated?

No Vacation Days:

4 hours per pay per. Continuing education opportunities? Yes

• Hearing instrument trainee-specific sessions for all 5 manufacturers on contract at the beginning of the year
• Supplemental training with hearing instrument manufacturers throughout the year
• Trainees will be approved to attend up to 2 professional conferences (examples: JDVAC, AAA or ASHA)
• Trainees will be approved to attend up to 2 off-site or virtual hearing instrument manufacturer or specialty trainings

Start Date:

5/31/2027 Expected hours/days a week: 40 hrs/week Travel to satellite centers required? Yes Lake Baldwin Viera Daytona Local students preferred: No Does the externship site provide orientation to relevant clinical policies and procedures? Yes Does the externship site provide instructions about patient's rights and providing patient education? Yes Does the externship site provide orientation to quality assessment, quality assurance and quality improvement? Yes Externship site expects the extern to have mastered these skills before they begin their clinical externship: Solid foundation and skills in the following areas: otoscopic examination, comprehensive audiological evaluation, hearing aid fitting, hearing aid verification measurements, hearing aid follow-up & trouble shooting, auditory ABR testing, vestibular testing, tinnitus counseling, aural rehabilitation, interpersonal communication, and professionalism. Proficient professional writing and grammar skills are preferred. Trainees will continue to develop and master these skills throughout the year. Externship site expects the extern to learn/demonstrate these skills during their clinical externship:

• Comprehensive audiological evaluation
• Comprehensive vestibular evaluation
• Cerumen management
• Hearing aid fitting & orientation
• Hearing aid verification measurement
• Hearing aid & accessory programming, follow-up, and repair
• Counseling & aural rehabilitation
• Comprehensive vestibular evaluation
• Tinnitus counseling & management
• ABR testing
• Telehealth & virtual/remote hearing aid care
• Flexibility
• Ability to take and apply feedback from preceptors
• Interpersonal skills
• Professionalism
• Professional writing skills Clinical opportunities that will be given to the extern: Regularly Hearing Screenings Never Pediatric evaluations: infant/toddler Never Pediatric evaluations: school-age Everyday Adult hearing evaluations Everyday Tympanometry Everyday Acoustic Reflexes Regularly Auditory processing evaluations Regularly Hearing Screenings Regularly Evoked potential assessments Never Intra-operative monitoring cases Regularly Otoacoustic emissions Regularly Industrial/hearing conservation Regularly Vestibular assessments Regularly Vestibular rehabilitation Everyday Hearing aids dispensed Everyday Hearing aid selection/fitting Regularly Audiologic rehabilitation (group or individualized) Regularly Cochlear implant evaluations Regularly Cochlear implant rehabilitation Regularly Tinnitus assessments Regularly Tinnitus rehabilitation Regularly Cerumen management Research opportunities?

Yes No research opportunities at this time. Consortium or collaborative arrangements with other sites? No How frequently will the externship site communicate with the university during the externship? As Needed Communication or other support do expected or required from the university during the externship: Regular communication for mid-term and final evaluations with additional support, as needed.

Application Deadline:

August 31, 2026

Application Requirements:

Other

• Resume or CV (including GPA and total number of clinical hours thus far)
• Two letter of recommendation
• Cover letter/letter of interest describing what the student is looking for in a 4th year traineeship
• U.

S. Citizenship Steps for the student/university to follow in the application process: All interested students should send the above application materials to Elizabeth.

Purdy@va.gov

Contact Person:

(preceptor, supervisor or extern coordinator) Elizabeth Purdy - Elizabeth.

Purdy@va.gov Are all externs supervised? Yes