Dear Members of the Board,

My name is Amelia Shuster, and I am a clinical audiologist in Fairfax, Virginia. I am writing to express my support for the proposed amendment to 18VAC30-21-60(A) to restore American Board of Audiology (ABA) certification as an accepted pathway for audiology licensure.

ABA certification is a nationally recognized credential that reflects education, examination, and professional requirements specific to audiology. When ABA certification was removed from the regulations, it reduced flexibility and limited licensure options for qualified audiologists.  Restoring this pathway will help ensure that Virginia can attract and retain highly trained audiologists while maintaining strong professional standards.

Recognizing multiple pathways is important for supporting workforce mobility and ensuring patient access to hearing and balance care across the Commonwealth. Being located in Northern Virginia, our practice frequently hires audiologists who are moving to the area from out of state, or who have recently graduated from a doctoral program.  Having multiple pathways to obtain a Virginia audiology license helps audiologists make the transition to working in Virginia more quickly.  Removing the ABA certification as a pathway for licensure will lead to delays in audiologists being able to see patients, which means decreased productivity for the clinic and longer wait times for patients to receive care.  As someone who has weathered multiple staff turnovers, I believe that recognizing ABA certification will benefit both professionals and patients.

Thank you for your work to modernize and clarify audiology licensure regulations in Virginia. I appreciate the opportunity to comment on this amendment and encourage the Board to move forward with recognizing ABA certification as an accepted pathway to licensure.

Sincerely,
Amelia Shuster, AuD
Otolaryngology Associates
Fairfax, VA