National Association of Future Doctors of Audiology (NAFDA)

The UofL NAFDA chapter has a history of being highly active. Perhaps this is in part attributable to the fact that NAFDA, as an organization, was founded at UofL. Whatever the reason, the students in the UofL audiology program have a tremendous amount of spirit, drive and determination. Some of the innovative activities that UofL NAFDA has implemented in the past years include:

School Hearing Screenings
This is not only a tremendous annual fundraising event, but also provides experience with school screenings for our students. Furthermore, it helps to promote the field of audiology and the Audiology program at UofL in particular. This community service is provided for a nominal fee.

HearHere Summer Camp
This past July UofL NAFDA held its second annual HearHere camp for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The camp is designed to be a week of fun for the children in our community while providing education and pediatric aural rehabilitation services. Many of the parents of the children who participate have made strong positive comments, sent thank you cards, and have even generously given gifts which stands as a testament to the success of the camp. Not only is this a wonderful experience for the campers, but it is both educational and great fun for the students who volunteer to organize the camp and act as camp counselors.

First Annual White Coat Ceremony
Our Education Officer took the initiative to help organize the first annual University of Louisville White Coat Ceremony for incoming students. The ceremony was an unmitigated success and serves as a reminder of why we’re here and how important commitment to excellence in audiology is so important.

Lion’s Club Hearing Aid Program
The UofL faculty and NAFDA students are currently in the process of organizing a hearing aid program for members of the community who otherwise would not be able to afford amplification. The Lion’s Club has sponsored the production of their own brand of hearing aids and has been seeking audiologists to provide fitting services to members of their communities. The students and faculty at UofL feel compelled to help. Services will be provided on a sliding scale which has been established by the Lion’s Club.

So the World May Hear
This year the vice president and Public Relations officers are trying to organize a trip for all of the second and third year students through the Starkey Foundation program entitled “So the World May Hear”. This program sends Otolaryngologists and Audiologists to various underprivileged geographic locations around the world to diagnose and treat hearing loss. Louisville NAFDA feels that this is a highly worthy cause. The students are looking forward to a chance to help those in need.

Other activities that NAFDA students have participated in include:

• Volunteering to staff a booth run by the Kentucky Commission for the Deaf at the Kentucky State Fair.

• Volunteering for the Hearing Aid Bank on Saturday mornings. The Hearing Aid Bank was formerly an organization which provided hearing aids to members of the community who could not afford amplification services at full cost.

• Kentucky Speech and Hearing Association (KSHA) annual continuing education conference and auction. The students not only attend several of the continuing education session but seek donated items from the community which are then auctioned off at the annual KSHA conference. This is tremendous fun as well as a great way to raise money.

• Our Public Relations officer publishes a quarterly newsletter to keep the current students and alumni informed of all of the events taking place. Another function of this office is a very nice ‘welcome’ package for incoming students to help them acclimate to life in graduate school and in Louisville more easily.

• Much much more!!!

Some of the benefits of being a NAFDA member

• $200.00 in reimbursement for travel to professional development conferences over the course of 4 years in the Audiology Program.

• Reduced fees for membership to the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) as well.

• AAA also sponsors hundreds of NAFDA students each year to act as volunteers at the AAA convention thereby waving the convention fee.

• Annual National NAFDA convention which is held in conjunction with the AAA annual convention.

• Reduced hotel rates for NAFDA members at the annual AAA convention.

• Unlimited use of the NAFDA-owned photocopying machine at Myer’s Hall for a one time fee which is paid in the first year of membership.

• UofL NAFDA used some of the funds raised to purchase two new computers for students to use. One of the computers has DSL network access and both are available for student use 24 hours a day at Meyer’s Hall.

• Of all of the funds raised through the various fundraising projects 70% of the money is returned directly to the students in the fall semester of each year. NAFDA keeps only 30% to help with administrative costs.

• Perhaps the single most repeated comment made by incoming students and upper-classmen alike is that they chose UofL due to the close-knit family feeling that exists between the students here. Beyond being in classes and clinic together our chapter has traditionally been a group of people who enjoy spending leisure time together. NAFDA sponsors several annual social events and has even created a position on the local executive board for a “social chair”. This individual is responsible to organize not only the traditional annual events, but also has organized weekend camping trips, bowling nights, roller skating nights, Louisville BATS baseball game outings, and many more events. We’re not just a NAFDA chapter, we’re a very close group of friends who enjoy spending time together!

All of the local NAFDA chapters around the country are united by one national executive board. The representatives are elected by the students at each school and serve as a liason between the National NAFDA board and each of the schools. The board representatives are responsible for many functions including organizing the annual National NAFDA Convention, providing support to local chapters, recruiting newly formed chapters, updating the national website, publishing the national newsletter, and many other functions. To learn more about National NAFDA visit: www.nafda.org