Its Chair, Erin Miller, a vastly experienced audiologist and academic, former president of the AAA (2014-15), and self-confessed lover of conferences, told Audiology Worldnews how she relaxed into the role and could not have been happier to see the Academy’s annual event held in her own backyard of Ohio.

Events the size of the “Best of Audiology” AAAannual conference need to book their venuesyears ahead. Erin Miller got the news wellin time.

“When I knew that the event was going to be in Columbus,I just said that would be really neat, since I live in the stateand I think that Columbus is a great venue, an inexpensivecity to come to in terms of hotel costs, easily walkable,a vibrant city that continues to grow with outstandingrestaurants, microbreweries, a world class zoo and sciencecenter, and one of the top ranked professional hockeyteams, the Columbus Blue jackets.

And Ohio itself is also steeped in audiology. As a professorof instruction at the University of Akron’s School of SpeechLanguage Pathology and Audiology, Dr. Miller knows thehearing landscape well. “There are actually seven AAApresidents who lived in Ohio during their presidency,”she points out.

“There are over a thousand licensed audiologists in ourstate and we have an active audiology state organization. We’ve engaged the Ohio Academy also in working withthe AAA at the conference, and they’ve developed aprogramme on the Saturday focused towards physicians,nurse-practitioners, nurses, and non-physican providersto really help them on how we can collaborate together ashealthcare professionals to provide the best outcomes,”she adds.

The industry and outside expertise

Miller’s long career in private practice, almost overtakennow by her hours in academic audiology, has informed herpragmatic view not only of the role the hearing industryshould have in these annual conference events but also of how expertise outside audiology can bring a greater skillpalate to hearing professionals.

“Industry does not influence the program. From myperspective it’s a good mix. They are given opportunities,this year the exhibitor courses, and then there are productspecificindustry courses. Professionals need to look at thegamut of what’s offered. I am always a skeptic; I have tosee it work myself so I appreciate the work they do in theirown labs but I like to see some independent research. Ilove that industry is part of the educational pieces, as longas they don’t influence who we have for featured speakersor learning modules or those kind of things,” states theProgram Chair.

“What often happens at the conference is you haveindustry providing information and then independentresearchers say ‘yes that feature is quite beneficial, or not’,and so as professionals we have to start making thoseclinical decisions,” she adds.

Non-clinical skills are a key part of this year’s newinaugural event, the Audiology Career Enhancement(ACE) Symposium. “We’re thrilled that over 120 people have already registered,” enthuses Miller. “We arebringing in an improv group that works with businesses,attorneys, and outside healthcare to focus on non-clinicalskills to help audiologists grow as professionals andleaders. They really try to enhance your ability to thinkon your feet, so this is a hands-on opportunity I’m veryexcited about. We have great audiologists but I also thinkit’s important to learn from others.”

Read the rest of the interview on the Audiology Worldnews AAA special issue (free-access flipbook):

Follow the congress on Twitter @AudioWorldnews.