I’ve now been working as a student intern at the Family Hearing and Balance Center for over 7 weeks, and my goodness, how time flies when you’re having fun! This is by far the best hands-on clinical experience I’ve had. I’ve improved many of my skills: I can now complete a hearing evaluation more quickly and I’ve become more confident in my capabilities with hearing aid programming and vestibular (balance) testing. I’ve also learned a lot about life by just taking advantage of the time I’m able to spend with our patients. When I asked a woman, who has been married for several decades, for one piece of advice for young couples, she told me that we should all give in sometimes, because usually winning the argument is not important in the grand scheme of things. I’ve also learned about fly fishing, what it’s like to be a commercial truck driver with hearing loss, and the culture in a city in Germany.
I feel so content and at peace with my decision to follow my calling to this vocation, especially since I started my clinical experience at this practice. The patients I encounter here are very happy and seem to enjoy coming in to see us, and I believe that this is a reflection of how Dr. Rich and Dr. Amy treat them. A facility that practices patient-centered care is where I feel the most comfortable, and while I would still like to experience other settings (a Veterans Affairs medical center, for instance) I think that I would prefer to spend most of my working years in a place like this.
***Peggy, you bring a level of care that is exemplary. Dr. Amy and I have enjoyed mentoring and sharing our passion of Audiology, Balance, and Tinnitus. The Ohio University Doctor of Audiology program has prepared you well. Thank you for sharing these kind words of our practice.
Rich Reikowski, AuD
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