Former audiologists survey: Leaving the profession (Machak et al., 2025)

<p dir="ltr"><b>Purpose: </b>Audiologists play an essential role in hearing health care. It has been predicted that the supply of audiologists may fail to meet future market demand. One way to improve the number of available audiologists is to improve retention. The purpo...

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Main Author: Michaela Machak (20880911) (author)
Other Authors: Diana C. Emanuel (14070847) (author), Jeremy J. Donai (20880912) (author), Rian Q. Landers-Ramos (13569974) (author)
Published: 2025
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author Michaela Machak (20880911)
author2 Diana C. Emanuel (14070847)
Jeremy J. Donai (20880912)
Rian Q. Landers-Ramos (13569974)
author2_role author
author
author
author_facet Michaela Machak (20880911)
Diana C. Emanuel (14070847)
Jeremy J. Donai (20880912)
Rian Q. Landers-Ramos (13569974)
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Michaela Machak (20880911)
Diana C. Emanuel (14070847)
Jeremy J. Donai (20880912)
Rian Q. Landers-Ramos (13569974)
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025-03-22T23:35:57Z
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 10.23641/asha.28599341.v1
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://figshare.com/articles/online_resource/Former_audiologists_survey_Leaving_the_profession_Machak_et_al_2025_/28599341
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv CC BY 4.0
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Workplace wellbeing and quality of working life
Audiology
survey
audiologists
leaving
profession
hearing
health care
audiology
market demand
supply
retention
attrition
strategies
questions
demographics
excitement
job satisfaction
lack of reward
for-profit
hearing aid dispensing
opportunities
private practice
psychosocial work environment
career
leadership
retirement
demand
graduates
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Former audiologists survey: Leaving the profession (Machak et al., 2025)
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Text
Online resource
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
text
description <p dir="ltr"><b>Purpose: </b>Audiologists play an essential role in hearing health care. It has been predicted that the supply of audiologists may fail to meet future market demand. One way to improve the number of available audiologists is to improve retention. The purpose of this study was an exploration of audiologist attrition as a first step toward creating strategies to improve retention.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Method:</b> A survey completed by 47 former audiologists included questions about demographics, why participants entered and exited the audiology profession, and job satisfaction.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Results:</b> Participants cited lack of reward as the most common reason for leaving the profession. About a third disliked the for-profit hearing aid dispensing aspect of the profession, and a few would return to the profession for an audiology job that did not involve hearing aid dispensing. About a quarter left audiology to pursue other opportunities (e.g., selling a private practice), and about a quarter reported poor psychosocial work environment.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Conclusion:</b> Findings highlight the need for national efforts focused on (a) improving audiology awareness so students have a greater understanding of audiology as they are exploring career choices, (b) advocating for improved compensation overall and compensation models that de-emphasize sales-based financial incentives, and (c) creating strategies to help improve audiologists’ work environment and opportunities for leadership roles.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Supplemental Material S1. </b>Survey questions and response summary.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Supplemental Material S2.</b> Tukey HSD Ad hoc analyses for significant ANOVA results as a function of age group and financial contribution group.</p><p dir="ltr">Machak, M., Emanuel, D. C., Donai, J. J., & Landers-Ramos, R. Q. (2025). Survey of former audiologists: Reasons for leaving the profession. <i>American Journal of Audiology</i><i>, 34</i>(2), 400–408. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_AJA-24-00215" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_AJA-24-00215</a></p>
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
id Manara_fbabe2e64dc552282f2fec8fbbc0ed9e
identifier_str_mv 10.23641/asha.28599341.v1
network_acronym_str Manara
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oai_identifier_str oai:figshare.com:article/28599341
publishDate 2025
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rights_invalid_str_mv CC BY 4.0
spelling Former audiologists survey: Leaving the profession (Machak et al., 2025)Michaela Machak (20880911)Diana C. Emanuel (14070847)Jeremy J. Donai (20880912)Rian Q. Landers-Ramos (13569974)Workplace wellbeing and quality of working lifeAudiologysurveyaudiologistsleavingprofessionhearinghealth careaudiologymarket demandsupplyretentionattritionstrategiesquestionsdemographicsexcitementjob satisfactionlack of rewardfor-profithearing aid dispensingopportunitiesprivate practicepsychosocial work environmentcareerleadershipretirementdemandgraduates<p dir="ltr"><b>Purpose: </b>Audiologists play an essential role in hearing health care. It has been predicted that the supply of audiologists may fail to meet future market demand. One way to improve the number of available audiologists is to improve retention. The purpose of this study was an exploration of audiologist attrition as a first step toward creating strategies to improve retention.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Method:</b> A survey completed by 47 former audiologists included questions about demographics, why participants entered and exited the audiology profession, and job satisfaction.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Results:</b> Participants cited lack of reward as the most common reason for leaving the profession. About a third disliked the for-profit hearing aid dispensing aspect of the profession, and a few would return to the profession for an audiology job that did not involve hearing aid dispensing. About a quarter left audiology to pursue other opportunities (e.g., selling a private practice), and about a quarter reported poor psychosocial work environment.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Conclusion:</b> Findings highlight the need for national efforts focused on (a) improving audiology awareness so students have a greater understanding of audiology as they are exploring career choices, (b) advocating for improved compensation overall and compensation models that de-emphasize sales-based financial incentives, and (c) creating strategies to help improve audiologists’ work environment and opportunities for leadership roles.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Supplemental Material S1. </b>Survey questions and response summary.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Supplemental Material S2.</b> Tukey HSD Ad hoc analyses for significant ANOVA results as a function of age group and financial contribution group.</p><p dir="ltr">Machak, M., Emanuel, D. C., Donai, J. J., & Landers-Ramos, R. Q. (2025). Survey of former audiologists: Reasons for leaving the profession. <i>American Journal of Audiology</i><i>, 34</i>(2), 400–408. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_AJA-24-00215" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_AJA-24-00215</a></p>2025-03-22T23:35:57ZTextOnline resourceinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersiontext10.23641/asha.28599341.v1https://figshare.com/articles/online_resource/Former_audiologists_survey_Leaving_the_profession_Machak_et_al_2025_/28599341CC BY 4.0info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:figshare.com:article/285993412025-03-22T23:35:57Z
spellingShingle Former audiologists survey: Leaving the profession (Machak et al., 2025)
Michaela Machak (20880911)
Workplace wellbeing and quality of working life
Audiology
survey
audiologists
leaving
profession
hearing
health care
audiology
market demand
supply
retention
attrition
strategies
questions
demographics
excitement
job satisfaction
lack of reward
for-profit
hearing aid dispensing
opportunities
private practice
psychosocial work environment
career
leadership
retirement
demand
graduates
status_str publishedVersion
title Former audiologists survey: Leaving the profession (Machak et al., 2025)
title_full Former audiologists survey: Leaving the profession (Machak et al., 2025)
title_fullStr Former audiologists survey: Leaving the profession (Machak et al., 2025)
title_full_unstemmed Former audiologists survey: Leaving the profession (Machak et al., 2025)
title_short Former audiologists survey: Leaving the profession (Machak et al., 2025)
title_sort Former audiologists survey: Leaving the profession (Machak et al., 2025)
topic Workplace wellbeing and quality of working life
Audiology
survey
audiologists
leaving
profession
hearing
health care
audiology
market demand
supply
retention
attrition
strategies
questions
demographics
excitement
job satisfaction
lack of reward
for-profit
hearing aid dispensing
opportunities
private practice
psychosocial work environment
career
leadership
retirement
demand
graduates