A group of future audiologists got an important hearing lesson in October when they traveled to Aurora Sportsmen’s Club rifle/pistol range in Waterman, Illinois. 
“Noise exposure from firearm use is a major contributor to hearing loss in gun owners,” said Charles Pudrith, assistant professor of audiology in the School of Allied Health and Communicative Disorders. “Given the number of people that own a firearm, this is a concern.”
Pudrith, along with Professor King Chung, accompanied the doctoral students to the range so they could experience first-hand the noise level some of their patients experience.
“Noise-induced hearing loss is preventable as long as individuals wear hearing protection when shooting,” Pudrith said. “Some people don’t wear hearing protection, and it’s important for audiologists to motivate gun owners to always wear hearing protection.”
Pudrith said that gun owners may be reluctant to take advice from a healthcare professional who has no knowledge or experience with a firearm.
“If you are a health care professional who needs to talk to patients about this hobby, learning more about it will go a long way in building a relationship your patients,” Pudrith said. “Our audiology students will be in a better position to talk about hearing protection as they advance throughout their careers.”
Members of Aurora Sportsman’s Club shared their expertise with the Huskies, describing the firearms in detail and demonstrating a variety of firearms. The students recorded the volume of each gun to understand the possible damage to hearing that could occur. 
“It was a great learning experience,” said audiology student Krupa Patel. “I learned a lot of things about different types of firearms and their history; I knew guns were loud, but I was surprised to experience it firsthand.”
Pudrith said it was a good learning experience for all.
“I hope that the students will feel more comfortable speaking with their patients about hearing loss in gun owners,” Pudrith said. “These conversations will create trust which is important when encouraging someone to change their behavior for their own health and safety.”
Learn more about the Doctor of Audiology program at NIU.
