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 Allison Cleland came away from the 2008 Convention with more than just knowledge and CEUs—she won a GPS system in a raffle sponsored by ASHA Continuing Education (CE). Exploring ASHA Continuing Education was the theme of this year's ASHA CE exhibit. Members like Cleland spun the dial of a 'giant' compass to find out information about the ASHA CE Registry, the ACE Award, and Independent Study.
Destined for Audiology
Cleland is a relatively new audiologist, having earned her AuD in 2007 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is originally from Mansfield, Pa. and completed undergraduate coursework at Virginia Tech and James Madison universities. Cleland now lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She is a full-time pediatric audiologist for Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) and the lead audiologist for the pediatric cochlear implant program at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia.
Cleland's interest in audiology began during her childhood. "I grew up attending the public elementary school in our district that had the program for students with hearing impairments," she said. "All the students from the entire district that had hearing loss attended the school, so as you can imagine, we had a fairly large population of deaf students. At school, we learned Signed Exact English, which was integrated into our regular education. We also had a sign language interpreter in of all of my classes."
When she began college, Cleland did some career exploration, "and I knew an allied health career seemed like the best fit. With my background, audiology became the obvious choice. After being exposed to the cochlear implant technology as an undergraduate, I was sold on specializing in both pediatrics and cochlear implants. I like the interdisciplinary aspect of cochlear implant teams and the ability to make a life-changing impact on a child's life."
A Desire to Learn More
Cleland is a firm believer in maintaining her certificate of clinical competence and pursuing CEU activities to do so. "When choosing CEU courses, I prefer face-to-face learning opportunities, because I find it easier to focus my attention," she said. "I take online classes, too, but it's often hard to find the time, avoid interruptions, and get away from work at the designated time without something causing me to sign on late to the class. I feel more relaxed and find it easier to retain information if I'm physically out of the clinic attending a course."
Cleland has been focusing on attending conferences that offer CEUs related to cochlear implants or pediatric audiology. "I really enjoyed ASHA's recent online audiology conference, and was surprised at how much I enjoyed my first ASHA Convention in November," she said. "I attended the convention because I saw a planned special track for cochlear implants and the presentations looked really appealing and applicable. I felt like I would be able to come back to my clinic with suggestions I could put into action, and that turned out to be the case."
After spending several days in sessions, Cleland caught a "very chilly Jason Mraz holiday performance. The concert was part of the festivities leading up to the holiday parade in downtown Chicago, so it was outside along the river. I missed the parade, though, to fly back to Virginia."
Cleland sees continuing education as "less about the obligation to earn CEUs for certification or licensure, and more about a lifelong desire to learn more," she explained. "I always want to stay current on research, technology, and best practice. Plus, as a fairly recent graduate, I think after eight years of higher education I'm just in the habit of being in the classroom and haven't quite 'cut the cord,' so to speak. And I like using the CE Registry, because I can submit everything when it happens and not worry about keeping track of the paperwork."
Far Safer with GPS
The new GPS has been invaluable to Cleland. "When I interviewed at EVMS, I was told that a GPS was essential in this region because of how much water was here; everything requires travel via bridges and tunnels," she said. She learned the unique topography immediately following the EVMS interview, as she was driving back to North Carolina.
"I panicked when a sign came up that I was approaching a very long bridge/tunnel ahead, indicating that I had obviously missed my exit," Cleland recalled. "I quickly took the last available exit to get off and turn around, avoiding the bridge/tunnel, but really understood that I would need a GPS when I moved." She researched different brands and models, "but I took so long to pick one out that my need didn't seem as great—after all, I was getting around just fine without it and my relocation expenses were so high." Coincidentally, the GPS she won at the Convention—the Garmin Nuvi—was the model she had chosen to purchase.
Cleland finds the GPS especially useful when visiting schools. "I visit schools for our cochlear implant team to do equipment orientations for school professionals and assist in IEP meetings," she said. "It's been great to walk out of the hospital with just my GPS, enter the school name on the walk to my car, and then get my directions—instead of having to print Mapquest directions for every school, taking time to do that before leaving, and then fumbling to read them as I drive. This is far safer!"
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