Interview with Victoria Keetay Ph.D., Director, Doctor of Audiology Program, Ball State University
Share:
AO/Beck: Good evening Dr. Keetay, thanks for spending a little time with me tonight.
Keetay: Hi Dr. Beck, it's a pleasure to speak with you.
AO/Beck: Thanks Victoria. I'd like to start by learning a little about your background. Please tell me when and where you got your doctorate?
Keetay: I got my doctorate from Purdue University in 1993 and I got my master's from Ball State in 1983.
AO/Beck: What was your dissertation on?
Keetay: My dissertation was on the effects of visual distractions on the auditory-visual performance of severely hearing impaired children.
AO/Beck: That's the McGuirk Effect.
Keetay: Yes it is. Many people have never heard of that.
AO/Beck: Well, about a million years ago when I was starting my career at the House Ear Institute, one of my colleagues at HEI, was studying the McGuirk effect. I learned a little about it at that time. Nonetheless...let's talk about the Au.D. program at Ball State.
Keetay: Sure. The Au.D. program at Ball State is a residential program. We do not offer the Au.D. through distance learning.
AO/Beck: When did the program start?
Keetay: Our program started in 1995, making us the second oldest continuing program. CMU is the oldest program.
AO/Beck: Tell me about the first graduating class. How many folks graduated, and when was the first Au.D. issued at Ball State?
Keetay: We had two people who came to Ball State with their master's degrees and transitioned into the Au.D. program. One of them finished in 1996 and the other in 1997. However, as I mentioned, neither of them went all the way through the program from the beginning to the end. In 1996 we started two brand new students. Those two entered the program with their Bachelor's degrees only, and they finished with their Au.D. four years later. So the first two to go completely through the program graduated in May of 2000.
AO/Beck: How many students do you currently have in the doctoral program?
Keetay: We have 17 students in the doctoral program and 4 graduates. Two more will graduate this May and two more in December. After that we should have 8 to 10 graduates per year.
AO/Beck: Do you still have a master's program?
Keetay: No, we discontinued the master's entirely. Our last master's degree student finished in May of 1999.
AO/Beck: Is there any indication that Ball State will offer a distance education program?
Keetay: No, I think that is not an option for us. As you know, the distance learning opportunities are essentially a transition-period option for existing practitioners and there are already several programs to fulfill that need.
AO/Beck: How many residential programs do you think will be needed?
Keetay: I think we'll probably have more programs than we'll need. I think most of us believe that it would be better for the profession to have less schools, with more faculty and more students and more resources per school. Unfortunately, I have heard there could be as many as 50 or 60 audiology programs in the next five years, and I just don't think our profession can support that many high quality programs. Probably some 15 to 25 programs would be the ideal number.
AO/Beck: Are there currently written academic or clinical standards in effect for residential Au.D. programs?
Keetay: The new ASHA guidelines, which are useful for ASHA accredited programs, do address standards for doctoral programs beginning in 2007. Also, the AAA helped start a new group called the 'Organization of Au.D. Program Directors'. Our first meeting was in January of 2000. The group is working under the guidance of Barry Freeman, Ian Windmill, and others. We're making progress towards standards but, of course, it'll take time. One interesting observation is that the programs are all very similar.
AO/Beck: Can you outline the typical, residential, four year Au.D. program for me?
Keetay: Yes, of course. The first year of study typically addresses the basic issues in substantial depth. The basics are critical. The second year typically addresses more advanced tests and clinical skills while expanding the clinical knowledge base. The third year typically gets into professional issues, looking into leadership issues and other advanced studies, which further separate the master's from the doctorate, and of course the fourth year is the residency, or externship, year.
AO/Beck: So in essence, if the audiologist chooses to earn their ASHA CCC-A, they would earn that during the 4th year?
Keetay: Yes. Students can apply for their CCC-A at the completion of the 4th year because the residency does actually replace the clinical fellowship year. In fact, I know that here in Indiana, the state recognizes the two as equivalent. Additionally, they can apply for their state license at the completion of their 4th year. So they have their doctorate and can be licensed and they can seek their CCC-A, if desired, as soon as they graduate.
AO/Beck: Can you tell me a little about the faculty at Ball State?
Keetay: Yes, we have 5 on-campus faculty members and we have other non-faculty audiologists who are off-site professors and numerous affiliates around the region who work with our students to provide an excellent clinical exposure and practice orientation.
The faculty includes Dr. Thomas Hemeyer who is primarily involved with speech perception, acoustics and hearing aids. David Coffin, our Audiology Clinic Coordinator, is very involved with neurodiagnostics and private practice issues. Dr. Claudia Updike is involved with CAP issues, FM systems, auditory trainers, and classroom management. Amy Arthur is involved with our First Steps program and also addresses other issues regarding pediatric audiology. And I'm involved with diagnostics, Deaf Culture issues and, of course, graduate education.
AO/Beck: Victoria, do you have a web-site, email and phone and fax numbers available for folks who want to learn more about the program?
Keetay: Yes indeed. Our web-site is at www.bsu.edu/csh/spa. Additionally, they can contact me directly at my email address (keetay@gw.bsu.edu), or by phone at 765-285-2611. And our fax number is 765-285-5623. If they would like to speak to an Au.D. student about our program, they can email Shannon Van Hyfte, President of our NAFDA chapter (oconnorsh@hotmail.com).
AO/Beck: Victoria, it was a pleasure learning about your program. Thanks so much for your time this evening.
Keetay: You're welcome. Thanks for your time too and thanks for your attention to our program.
Keetay: Hi Dr. Beck, it's a pleasure to speak with you.
AO/Beck: Thanks Victoria. I'd like to start by learning a little about your background. Please tell me when and where you got your doctorate?
Keetay: I got my doctorate from Purdue University in 1993 and I got my master's from Ball State in 1983.
AO/Beck: What was your dissertation on?
Keetay: My dissertation was on the effects of visual distractions on the auditory-visual performance of severely hearing impaired children.
AO/Beck: That's the McGuirk Effect.
Keetay: Yes it is. Many people have never heard of that.
AO/Beck: Well, about a million years ago when I was starting my career at the House Ear Institute, one of my colleagues at HEI, was studying the McGuirk effect. I learned a little about it at that time. Nonetheless...let's talk about the Au.D. program at Ball State.
Keetay: Sure. The Au.D. program at Ball State is a residential program. We do not offer the Au.D. through distance learning.
AO/Beck: When did the program start?
Keetay: Our program started in 1995, making us the second oldest continuing program. CMU is the oldest program.
AO/Beck: Tell me about the first graduating class. How many folks graduated, and when was the first Au.D. issued at Ball State?
Keetay: We had two people who came to Ball State with their master's degrees and transitioned into the Au.D. program. One of them finished in 1996 and the other in 1997. However, as I mentioned, neither of them went all the way through the program from the beginning to the end. In 1996 we started two brand new students. Those two entered the program with their Bachelor's degrees only, and they finished with their Au.D. four years later. So the first two to go completely through the program graduated in May of 2000.
AO/Beck: How many students do you currently have in the doctoral program?
Keetay: We have 17 students in the doctoral program and 4 graduates. Two more will graduate this May and two more in December. After that we should have 8 to 10 graduates per year.
AO/Beck: Do you still have a master's program?
Keetay: No, we discontinued the master's entirely. Our last master's degree student finished in May of 1999.
AO/Beck: Is there any indication that Ball State will offer a distance education program?
Keetay: No, I think that is not an option for us. As you know, the distance learning opportunities are essentially a transition-period option for existing practitioners and there are already several programs to fulfill that need.
AO/Beck: How many residential programs do you think will be needed?
Keetay: I think we'll probably have more programs than we'll need. I think most of us believe that it would be better for the profession to have less schools, with more faculty and more students and more resources per school. Unfortunately, I have heard there could be as many as 50 or 60 audiology programs in the next five years, and I just don't think our profession can support that many high quality programs. Probably some 15 to 25 programs would be the ideal number.
AO/Beck: Are there currently written academic or clinical standards in effect for residential Au.D. programs?
Keetay: The new ASHA guidelines, which are useful for ASHA accredited programs, do address standards for doctoral programs beginning in 2007. Also, the AAA helped start a new group called the 'Organization of Au.D. Program Directors'. Our first meeting was in January of 2000. The group is working under the guidance of Barry Freeman, Ian Windmill, and others. We're making progress towards standards but, of course, it'll take time. One interesting observation is that the programs are all very similar.
AO/Beck: Can you outline the typical, residential, four year Au.D. program for me?
Keetay: Yes, of course. The first year of study typically addresses the basic issues in substantial depth. The basics are critical. The second year typically addresses more advanced tests and clinical skills while expanding the clinical knowledge base. The third year typically gets into professional issues, looking into leadership issues and other advanced studies, which further separate the master's from the doctorate, and of course the fourth year is the residency, or externship, year.
AO/Beck: So in essence, if the audiologist chooses to earn their ASHA CCC-A, they would earn that during the 4th year?
Keetay: Yes. Students can apply for their CCC-A at the completion of the 4th year because the residency does actually replace the clinical fellowship year. In fact, I know that here in Indiana, the state recognizes the two as equivalent. Additionally, they can apply for their state license at the completion of their 4th year. So they have their doctorate and can be licensed and they can seek their CCC-A, if desired, as soon as they graduate.
AO/Beck: Can you tell me a little about the faculty at Ball State?
Keetay: Yes, we have 5 on-campus faculty members and we have other non-faculty audiologists who are off-site professors and numerous affiliates around the region who work with our students to provide an excellent clinical exposure and practice orientation.
The faculty includes Dr. Thomas Hemeyer who is primarily involved with speech perception, acoustics and hearing aids. David Coffin, our Audiology Clinic Coordinator, is very involved with neurodiagnostics and private practice issues. Dr. Claudia Updike is involved with CAP issues, FM systems, auditory trainers, and classroom management. Amy Arthur is involved with our First Steps program and also addresses other issues regarding pediatric audiology. And I'm involved with diagnostics, Deaf Culture issues and, of course, graduate education.
AO/Beck: Victoria, do you have a web-site, email and phone and fax numbers available for folks who want to learn more about the program?
Keetay: Yes indeed. Our web-site is at www.bsu.edu/csh/spa. Additionally, they can contact me directly at my email address (keetay@gw.bsu.edu), or by phone at 765-285-2611. And our fax number is 765-285-5623. If they would like to speak to an Au.D. student about our program, they can email Shannon Van Hyfte, President of our NAFDA chapter (oconnorsh@hotmail.com).
AO/Beck: Victoria, it was a pleasure learning about your program. Thanks so much for your time this evening.
Keetay: You're welcome. Thanks for your time too and thanks for your attention to our program.
