I support changing the current Virginia hearing aid specialist code to allow licensed audiologists to be exempt from taking all parts of the current examination to obtain a license as a Hearing Aid Specialist.   Within the last fifteen years, the educational requirements to obtain a graduate degree in Audiology have changed; specifically, now a four year doctoral program is standard in all US Audiology programs.  Educational requirements include specific courses on hearing aids, assistive devices and aural rehabilation.  Audiologists have academic credits and literally hundreds if not thousands of hours of practical experience treating hearing impaired patients with appropriate hearing devices.

Allowing a licensed audiologist exemption from the examination takes nothing away from licensing non-audiologists.  Taking the HAS examination is redundant to the training and evaluations that are inherent in the preperation and continuing education of licensed audiologists.