293 - Bringing the Patient Voice Into Audiology Education

What happens when audiology students learn directly from people living with hearing loss?In this episode, Shari Eberts talks with Dr. Kathleen Cienkowski, audiologist and professor at the University of Connecticut, about her recent efforts to incorporate community-engaged learning into the audiology curriculum. Their conversation centers around a class project where students read Hear & Beyond—the practical guide to living well with hearing loss co-authored by Shari Eberts and Gael Hannan—and participated in in-person support group meetings through the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).These experiences gave students the opportunity to go beyond technical training and hear directly from individuals with lived experience, helping them develop empathy, cultural humility, and a more person-centered approach to care. Dr. Cienkowski shares how students responded to these activities and how incorporating the patient perspective earlier in education may help bridge gaps in hearing care, improve trust, and increase the uptake of hearing healthcare interventions.

📚 Watch their full seminar, “How to Elevate Aural Rehabilitation Education Through Community and Engaged Learning”: https://www.audiologyonline.com/audiology-ceus/course/aural-rehabilitation-education-40399📬 Contact the speakers:

• Shari Eberts – shari@livingwithhearingloss.com

• Dr. Kathleen Cienkowski – cienkowski@uconn.edu

Learn more about Hear & Beyond: https://livingwithhearingloss.com/hearandbeyond/

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