Hearing aid dispensing is at the very center of the scope of practice for audiologists, whether MA, MS, or AuD. I've taken the hearing aid specialist exam in three states (CA, IA, and VA) and in all three, the practical and theoretical aspects covered by the exam were addressed in the first half of the first semester of my first graduate-level hearing aid course. ENT physicians in the state of Virginia can apply for and receive a hearing aid dispensing license without taking the exam (I've seen one do it) even though they do not typically get any training or practice in hearing aid dispensing. A hearing aid specialist exam should not be required for audiologists. The privilege an audiologist has of dispensing hearing aids in Virginia should fall under the audiology license.

Submitted respectfully,

David A. Taylor, MA