Audiology Connections - 2022 - 29

AN OPTIMISTIC FUTURE FOR AUDIOLOGISTS
However, even with a great team
and a very supportive College of
Health Professions, the pandemic
still altered every plan, requiring us
to pivot constantly. We spent August
2020 planning a safe start to the
program while still ensuring that
our students would be able to meet
learning outcomes. We erred on the
side of caution with what needed to
be in-person versus what we could
successfully do virtually. There were
no vaccines yet, and so much was still
unknown about COVID-19.
The first big challenge that we
encountered in that inaugural semester
was creating a learning environment
and program of study online where
the students could thrive and build
community. As we all know, the
first semester of any AuD program
is when you lay the foundation for
the rest of the didactic and clinical
training. We were lucky to have two
incredible resource centers to support
this effort right here on campus. With
the help of the Simulation Center, we
utilized software programs like Otis
the virtual patient; we also consulted
with standard patients (seen virtually)
to enrich didactic coursework with
" hands-on " training in the students'
first semester. In addition, we received
strong support from the Pew Faculty
Teaching and Learning Center at
GVSU for the development of teaching
materials that would help make
online learning more engaging and
interactive.
The second giant hurdle was
opening our clinic. This was a
multifaceted challenge because
we did not have the benefit of an
established clinic that just needed to
modify existing protocols. However, in
some ways, it was easier because we
developed COVID-19 policies from day
one, and everyone learned the policies
and procedures together. The safe start
to seeing clinical patients in Spring
2021 was helped along by access
to COVID-19 vaccines and personal
protective equipment-as well as a
deeper understanding of appropriate
and effective infection control
measures. Our courses and clinic
moved to a mostly in-person setting in
the second semester of our program,
Spring 2021. Once we successfully
transitioned students to in-person
clinical care on campus, we had to
secure clinical care opportunities for
them off campus. It was incredibly
difficult to do this when so many sites
had limited capacity for students
due to physical space limitations and
concerns for the health and safety of
their patients. We are still so grateful
to the preceptors in Michigan who
accepted our student clinicians during
this unprecedented time.
We have since continued to grow
our program with new faculty and
another cohort of students. We
continue to face unforeseen challenges
as every new program does. We also
know that with the pandemic nothing is
certain. For every plan that we make,
we create a back-up plan-and try to
model the adaptability and flexibility
that we want our students to carry
forward.
Jennifer L. Smart, PhD,
CCC-A, is associate
professor and director of
Audiology, Communication
Sciences and Disorders
at Grand Valley State
University, Michigan.
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Audiology Connections - 2022

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