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老司机福利网 audiology students, alumni and faculty came together on the Stockton Campus March 15 to offer free hearing screenings to the community. The event, held in partnership with Lodi Sunrise Rotary Club, drew 117 participants to campus to have their hearing checked.

鈥淎 lot of people don't want to necessarily go see a doctor, and this feels a little bit less threatening. It's a first step,鈥� said graduate student Melissa Wu 鈥�27. 鈥淭hen we have students and audiologists here who can encourage them and get them in the door for a full comprehensive test. It's very good for people in the community.鈥�

Wu is one of the 13 graduate students who worked the event with faculty from the San Francisco Campus. Undergraduate students from both campuses also volunteered, gaining valuable hands-on experience with patients and leadership skills. The event is part of the students' community service requirements and helps them understand the practical application of their studies while serving underrepresented groups.

鈥淲e're reaching into underserved areas in the Central Valley and in the Stockton area because there's less information about hearing care and hearing health in those areas in general, especially folks who are working on farms, who might be working with very loud equipment and having their hearing decreasing over time and not sure what to do about it,鈥� said Associate Professor Gabriella Musacchia, chair of the Department of Audiology.

The testing first identifies any obstructions in the ear, then screens for hearing loss.

鈥淲e have a tool to look in their ear in case there's something wrong with the inside of their ear. Buildup of wax sometimes can be the problem, not necessarily the inner ear or the brain. So, we can identify that,鈥� Wu said. 鈥淪ometimes they're not even aware that their hearing loss could be just due to the wax. If we do have concerns about what's going on, we take their tympanometry, which involves putting pressure and measuring to see what is going on in the ear.鈥�

The center also hosted a screening last year and was able to fund eight hearing aids, a project they hope to do again in the future. This year, recipients came back to have them refit, retested and received a general checkup to make sure the aids were still functioning properly.

Gail Amornpongchai, clinical director of audiology for Pacific鈥檚 Hearing and Balance Center, said that staff at the event focus on providing comprehensive care to community members.

鈥淚f they fail the screening, we find thresholds, so we know where their hearing sensitivity is for the frequencies that are important for speech. Then if they have hearing loss, the faculty will go over the results and the treatment options,鈥� she said.

The next steps include determining if the patient needs to undergo a more extensive hearing test and helping them navigate access to those resources through insurance or their healthcare provider. 

鈥淲e try to make it comprehensive, it's not just the hearing screening, but taking the patient from the start to the finish of the whole process.鈥�

Pacific鈥檚 Hearing and Balance Center has locations in Stockton and San Francisco. Learn more about the services they offer.