In Alabama, our legislature eliminated the requirement that audiologists hold a hearing aid specialist license years ago princikpally for 3 reasons:

1. Audiologists in the U. S. must hold a doctoral degree (4-year graduate degree) in the field, and their knowledge and experience requirements far exceed those of hearing aid specialists. Requiring them to hold a license requiring lesser qualifications is illogical.

2. The expense born by audiolgists in applying for a hearing aid specialist license, and the cost of maintaining them in a dual licensure mode is redundant and unnecessary.

3. Research surveys showed that Alabamians were confused about who they were consulting about their hearing loss. Since licensing laws in Alabama are principally designed to protect citizens, eliminating redundant state regulation helped the public better understand the difference between these two groups of practitioners so that Alabamians could better utilize professional hearing services.

Thomas E. Borton, Ph.D.
Audiologist
Doctors Hearing Clinic
Montgomery, Alabama