Health and Human Services News

Staff appreciation

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We are pleased to recognize Kimberly Randol, accounting specialist for the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic at Missouri State University.

Let’s learn more about her!

What’s your favorite memory here so far?

Attending the white coat ceremonies of our third-year audiology students. They have worked so hard to get to that day, and I love watching each of them be recognized and celebrated.

What brought you to Missouri State?

Before being hired, I had two teenage daughters who were getting ready to start their college journey. I had always heard wonderful things about working at Missouri State University; and having a portion of their college tuition paid for, and knowing that would be less stress for them, were two of the many reasons that brought me here!

Where are you from?

Springfield, Missouri.

How many years have you been at Missouri State?

It will be seven years in May.

What’s your favorite part about working here?

My favorite part about working here is the amazing people I get to work with – our faculty and staff, graduate students, student workers and all the patients who call or come into the clinic every day. I love the variety that each day brings working with so many different people!

What is your fondest Spring Break memory? ­

Going to Florida with my family and getting away from the cold Missouri weather.

Learn more about the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic

Understanding the why

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Students enrolled in the doctor of audiology program at Missouri State University are exposed to a unique way of learning.

“Every class in the program allows our students to utilize our research labs to translate conceptual knowledge to hands-on experiences,” said Dr. Wafaa Kaf, professor at Missouri State.

“Our students must know how to evaluate, diagnose and interpret information for their patients. These labs allow them to practice before working in a clinic using evidence-based protocols and guidelines.”

Gaining practical experience

Audiology students have access to state-of-the-art facilities to apply the knowledge they are learning. They also develop the clinical and research foundations needed for a career in audiology.

Some of the focus areas of the research labs include:

    • Amplification research laboratory.
    • Auditory electrophysiology laboratory.
    • Vestibular laboratory.
    • Diagnostic Laboratory: Middle ear, migraine, and tinnitus research

These labs are also a recruitment tool for Missouri State’s audiology program.

“We are very fortunate to have access to these labs,” said graduate student Alyson Morgan. “They allow us to understand not only how to use these different resources to integrate the learned information from classes and reading materials, why and how to apply them before seeing clients.”

Students also must complete a doctoral research thesis/project before graduating, so they apply their knowledge and clinical skills using different test protocols and equipment  to conduct their own research on a topic of their interest in audiology.

Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic

Students in the doctor of audiology program also spend valuable time in the on-campus Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, starting in their first semester in the program.

The clinic provides evaluation and treatment for people of all ages in the areas of speech-language pathology and audiology. Additionally, they provide early intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Here in our Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, graduate students participate in the testing and management of clients with hearing- and balance- problems as well as other communication disorders.

Learn about our doctor of audiology program

The Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic: A quality place of care

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The ways in which we can communicate shape how we engage with the world. Missouri State University’s Speech-Language-Hearing clinic brings new communication capabilities to those at Missouri State and the surrounding community.

“Our clinic is divided up into three separate programs,” Lauren Jones, director of the clinic, said. “We have a speech-language pathology program, audiological services and a pre-school for children who are deaf or hard of hearing .”

Audiological services

The clinic’s audiological offerings include hearing evaluations, hearing aid fittings and other audiological services.

“These services are provided by our doctoral-level audiology students and supervised by licensed and certified audiologists” Jones said.

Students working in the audiology program see patients weekly.

Speech-language pathology services

The clinic also offers a semester of long-term service for those who are needing speech and language therapy.

Graduate students in the speech-language pathology program are assigned clients who they see twice a week for the entire semester.

Preschool program

The preschool program is specifically designed for children ages 3-5 with impaired hearing.

“Our graduate students in the program work with children who may be deaf or hard of hearing,” Jones said. “The program helps children learn to interact with their peers and be more independent.”

The clinic offers free evaluations and consultations. No referrals are necessary.

If you think you may benefit from speech, language or hearing services, contact the clinic at CSDclinic@missouristate.edu or Lauren Jones at LaurenEJones@missouristate.edu.

Learn more about the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic

Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic promotes collaboration between programs

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The Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic is a vital resource for the Missouri State campus and the surrounding community. Students and faculty work with patients in three programs: Speech-language pathology, early intervention of the deaf and hard of hearing and audiology. 

Dr. Lauren Jones, Tara Oetting and Dr. Sarah Jones oversee the clinic’s three programs. 

“The collaboration here is amazing,” Oetting said. “I have speech pathologists down the hallway to get information from and to help me learn different things, and audiologists are down the other hallway. The chance to learn from my colleagues, or even students in the other areas, is very rewarding.”  

Jones, Oetting and Jones discuss the collaborative and crucial work done in the clinic in May’s “Health Queries” episode.  

Listen to the episode