A healthcare professional trained to diagnose and treat hearing and balance disorders using specialized testing and hearing aids.
From audiology (audio + -logy, study of) plus -ist (one who practices). A modern profession that emerged in the mid-20th century with advances in hearing assessment technology.
Audiologists are actually more specialized than you might think—they work with cochlear implants, hearing aid programming, and increasingly with vestibular (balance) disorders, making them sophisticated medical specialists.
Healthcare and hearing-related professions were historically male-dominated in medicine, though audiology developed as a field mid-20th century with significant female participation. Contemporary usage is neutral but benefits from awareness of historical barriers women faced in medical specialization.
Use 'audiologist' without gender assumption. When referring to specific individuals, use their stated pronouns.
Women audiologists like Mimi Schorn and Fredericka Hayes-Roth pioneered rehabilitation medicine and research; recognize their contributions to professionalizing the field.
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