The Hearing Care Provider Apprenticeship Program is designed for individuals who desire to become a hearing healthcare professional who provides complete hearing healthcare through Patient assessment, education, and hearing loss treatment.
The Apprentice will complete the HearingLife Apprenticeship Program to gain the skills necessary to become a Hearing Care Provider and obtain the required state licenses. The program is comprised of both virtual and in person classroom learning, hands-on lab learning, and side-by-side learning with a licensed Hearing Care Provider. The Apprentice will follow established curriculum and adhere to coaching and guidance provided by the assigned Preceptor. An outline of the training program and the required steps is attached. On average, the Apprentice Program takes 6 months to complete, however, this timeline may take up to a year, depending on state requirements.
HearingLife Apprenticeship Program Overview:
- Training Permit: The Apprentice will be required to obtain a training license for the state of study at the start of the program.
- HHA Clinical Introduction – The program begins with Clinical Introduction Week, which builds a foundation of clinical skills. This week includes instruction, live demonstrations, self-guided labs, and Preceptor-guided labs. At the completion of the Clinical Introduction Week a hands-on Clinical Skills Check will be conducted to verify skills learned.
- In-Clinic Practice with Direct Supervision – Following the Clinical Introduction Week and successfully passing the Clinical Introduction Skills Check, the Apprentice begins working hands-on in the clinic with guidance and mentorship from the Preceptor. Through this experience the Apprentice can become confident and competent in their skillset. In-clinic practice with Direct Supervision will continue until the Apprentice passes the HearingLife Clinical Certification. The Apprentice Learning Plan will serve as a guide for skills to be covered.
- Each month the Apprentice Learning Plan Skills Development Measure will be completed to track development of clinical skills.
- Each week the Apprentice will submit a log for clinical hours. A minimum of 18 hours should be obtained each week.
- Each week the Apprentice will submit a weekly summary of learning and clinical experiences.
- Periodic meetings with the Clinical Training Team will be conducted to ensure continued progress.
- Distance Learning Program/Virtual Courses: 12-week coursework to learn concepts and principals building a foundation to become a Hearing Care Provider. Each week will cover a new set of topics with associated exams to validate learnings. Additional virtual courses will be assigned to support mastery of content in preparation for clinical practice and licensing exams. These will be assigned by the Clinical Training Team.
- Clinical Certification: Upon completion of hands-on learning and mastered proficiency in each clinical skill, a Clinical Certification will be conducted to ensure mastery of all clinical concepts. Upon passing the Clinical Certification, the Apprentice will be eligible to see Patients independently, as allowed by state licensing laws.
- Licensing and Exams – After completing the HearingLife Clinical Certification, the Apprentice may take state and/or national licensing exams as required by his or her state. Each exam may be attempted two times. Transitioning to a permanent Hearing Care Provider role is contingent upon obtaining the necessary licenses.
- Practical Exam – hands-on evaluation of clinical skills
- State Dependent-not all states have a practical exam
- Written Exam
- Most states take the ILE (International Licensing Exam)
- PA, NY, MI, CA, Alaska, Vermont, District of Columbia- Do not take the ILE; they take their own independent exams
- Hearing Health Academy All The Right Things: Series of classes to help support learning of business principles that form the building blocks for the best in class Patient care. The ATRT program is designed to positively impact our operational excellence within each clinic across the network. Upon successful completion of the Clinical Academy, and after obtaining state licensure, each Provider is expected to partner with their People Leader and enroll in the ATRT Academy within the first 60 days following licensure.
- Attend all assigned sessions (on time arrival with full virtual accessibility)
- Complete all pre-work and submit applied learnings by the appropriate due date
- Actively contribute to the conversation and engage with peers throughout the course
- Successfully demonstrate role play to a variety of Patient care and treatment recommendation scenarios, including a final live certification in the PSP (Professional Sales Presentation).
At the conclusion of the training program and upon obtaining state licenses, the incumbent will perform at the full capacity of a Hearing Care Provider by acting in accordance with required industry and state professional licensing standards, local practice scope, and continuing education to grow and maintain high practice standards. This should include achieving all financial goals as well as offering assessment audiology services. The Hearing Care Provider is responsible for creating an exceptional Patient journey through Patient care and appropriate treatment options.