This month we’re kicking off a new series of blogs that will feature a member of the Shohet Ear Associates team so you can get to know us better! We start with Deanna Gende who has an interesting story about why she choose to become an Audiologist.
Deanna Gende, Au.D.
Why did you decide to become an Audiologist?
As a small child, I experienced chronic middle ear infections and consequently spent many hours at an ENT office. In the third grade, the doctor discovered that I had bilateral cholesteatomas which are growths in the middle ear that can damage the surrounding bones and require surgical intervention. Multiple surgeries subsequently led to the placement of a titanium implant that acts as the malleus in my right ear to help transport sound.
Having gone through this experience as a young child, I know first-hand what’s it like to undergo treatment for a medical ear condition. I wanted to become an Audiologist so I could help others find solutions to their hearing difficulties or ear related issues, but also so I could use my personal insight to help guide and support each of my patients through their own positive life-changing journey.
What education, schooling, or skills are needed to become an Audiologist?
To become an Audiologist you need to obtain your bachelors degree in addition to your doctorate degree in Audiology. Skills that are helpful in the field of Audiology are being supportive, understanding, and a strong advocate to ensure your patient receives the very best level of care. Also, patients come from all walks of life and are experiencing different life events, so it is important to be a good listener and always keep an open mind.
What do you like most about what you do?
What I like most about the work that I do is the incredible smile on my patients’ faces when they are given back the opportunity to once again hear the voices of their family and friends.
Has there been an experience with a patient that was particularly memorable?
Every patient I have had the opportunity to work with has been personally rewarding, but there is one patient that I’ll never forget. This patient had been struggling to hear in all listening environments and could no longer talk on the telephone or understand the television. She didn’t want to move forward with a cochlear implant due to concerns she had about “what if”.
After months of counseling and the patient doing her own research, she finally decided to proceed. Even though she received extensive counseling on the importance of aural rehab with the cochlear implant to retrain the brain, at the time of the activation she became very upset because all she could hear was “static and beeps”. We recommended that she wear the device every day and gave her an aural rehab program to do at home for two weeks, but she was visibly discouraged.
When she came back in two weeks for her follow up appointment, we could not take the smile off her face. She was so happy and extremely grateful for the constant support and positive reinforcement throughout the process. Now this patient is able to have one-on-one conversations, talk to her grandchildren on the phone, and enjoy watching (and hearing) the TV again!
Is there any new research or hearing technology that you are excited about?
One new hearing technology that I am excited about is called the Earlens. It is a completely new type of hearing technology that uses light to activate your natural hearing system. The Lens rests directly on your eardrum and works in conjunction with a behind the ear device to deliver a broader frequency range to enhance the sound significantly over what conventional hearing aids can do.
What I’m most excited about is that the Earlens will allow us as Audiologists to offer even more options to our patients so we can help to find the perfect solution based on their individual hearing loss and needs.