AUDIO-TECHNICIAN TRAINING PROGRAM IN GUATEMALA

AUDIO-TECHNICIAN TRAINING PROGRAM IN GUATEMALA

In March 2020 a group of audiology students and supervisors from Gallaudet University will travel to Guatemala to provide direct hearing healthcare to the local community and provide audiometric training to local service providers. Our trip sponsor is Child’s Passport to Health, a 501(c)(3) organization. Tax ID# 47-3800418

Our Project:

The goal of this volunteer project is to train local audiology technicians in hopes of encouraging self-sufficient audiologic care that is rooted in evidence-based practice. 

About 34 million children worldwide are deaf/hard of hearing and 90% of those are living in low and middle income countries. Guatemala is one of these low-income countries with a significant hearing healthcare need but unfortunately has only one known resident audiologist. This audiologist, based in Guatemala City, would not be able to provide for the hearing healthcare needs of the entire country. Therefore technicians are trained to provide front-line audiology care, especially in remote parts of the country, and refer to the known audiologist for those needing advanced care. 

This year’s training program will consist of lectures, clinic based lab, and a day of clinic run by the technicians with advising from our team. Topics for the training have been selected by a group of advanced technicians, who will share their knowledge with other technicians in the country. 


Our Sponsor:

Child's Passport to Health is a charitable organization, based in Bothell, Washington working with international and local agencies, doctors, hospitals and other non-profit partners. Participation with Guatemala began with surgical trips in 2001 and technician training trips in 2005. Over the years, Gallaudet University has become involved with this organization in hopes of facilitating sustainable audiologic services and training programs within Guatemala communities. 


We Need Your Help:

We want to work with Guatemala in laying the groundwork for sustainable and quality hearing healthcare services. We need your help to do so. Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated; every little bit counts!

$10   helps buy batteries & cleaning supplies for a child
$25   helps provide a hearing test
$50   helps buy ear molds and family resources
$100 helps buy 1 hearing aid for a child and follow up care
$250 helps pay for training and equipment for Guatemalan technicians


Our primary funding goal is $3780 for supplies and audiology technician training support. Any amount that exceeds this goal will go towards additional team supplies for hearing aids and supporting travel costs for students, who are financing the trip out-of-pocket.

Everyone who donates $25 or more will receive a special thank you from our team.

If you would like to donate by check, please make payable to Child’s Passport to Health  

Mail checks to: Child’s Passport to Health 
                                   PO Box 446 Bothell, WA 98041


Participants: Our trip will consist of four doctoral students and two clinical educators within the Audiology Department at Gallaudet University. 

Meet The Team:

Dr. Claire Buxton is an audiologist at Gallaudet University. She participated in her first audiology training trip in Guatemala in 2011. She is excited to continue to provide training for the same technicians that have worked with our team for many years. Her hope for this project is to transition the training and leadership to local technicians within the next few years. 

Dr. Lucas Lancaster is an audiologist at the Gallaudet University Hearing and Speech Center and a new member of our technician training program in Guatemala. He is a Cuban-born bilingual clinician pursuing a Ph.D. with a special focus on the unique hearing healthcare needs of the Hispanic population. He is very excited to join the team at a time where we are so close to meeting the ultimate goals of the mission.

Bryn Griswold, Becca Rapp, Johnathon O’Neal, and Samantha Espinal are audiology students at Gallaudet University, who will be joining this team.


Acknowledgements: 

- Rotary Clubs (Mill Creek, Guatemala City) 

- Friends and family, donations from various manufacturers

- Guatemalan audio-technicians, U.S. AuD graduate students

- University of Washington Department of Speech and Hearing     Sciences

- Gallaudet University Department of Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences

- Centro de Audicion