title: Survey of Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program Training in Outer and Middle Ear Screening.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the national training practices of speech-language pathology graduate programs in outer and middle ear screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  Directors of all American Speech-Language-Hearing Association-accredited speech-language pathology graduate programs (N = 254; Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, 2013) were surveyed on instructional formats in outer and middle ear screening.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The graduate speech-language pathology program survey yielded 84 (33.1%) responses. Results indicated that some programs do not provide any training in the areas of conventional screening otoscopy using a handheld otoscope (15.5%; n = 13) or screening tympanometry (11.9%; n = 10), whereas close to one half (46.4%; n = 39) reported no training in screening video otoscopy. Outcomes revealed that approximately one third or more of speech-language pathology graduate programs do not provide experiential opportunities in screening handheld otoscopy (36.9%) or tympanometry (32.1%), and most (78.6%) do not provide experiential opportunities in video otoscopy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The implication from the graduate speech-language pathology program survey findings is that some speech-language pathologists will graduate from academic programs without the acquired knowledge or experiential learning required to establish skill in 1 or more areas of screening otoscopy and tympanometry. Graduate speech-language pathology programs should consider appropriate training opportunities for students to acquire and demonstrate skill in outer and middle ear screening.
authors.forename: Yula C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Serpanos
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Senzer
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D001298:Audiology / Q000193:education*; D003479:Curriculum; D004500:Education, Graduate; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D038781:Otoscopy; D013066:Speech-Language Pathology / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014741:Video Recording