Students in NIU’s audiology program are getting hands-on practice with a new high-tech patient who never flinches. Thanks to a generous grant from the Northeast Illinois Area Health Education Center (AHEC), CARL, the Canadian Audiology Simulator for Research and Learning, has been lending an ear to audiology students and helping them build confidence before they ever meet a patient.
“Using CARL for cerumen management was amazing,” said Ashley Ellison, a second-year audiology student. “It gave us the ability to use a human ear without the fear that comes along with doing it. It helped me to gain the critical skills I needed without being terrified.”
Cerumen management, the clinical term for safely removing ear wax, is a complex procedure advanced audiology students learn. With CARL, they can practice the procedure in a realistic but low-risk environment.
The lifelike simulator is built from a 3D-printed head paired with custom-molded ears and ear canals created from CT scans. Its material mimics the plasticity and texture of real ears, giving students a safe and realistic environment to practice procedures like otoscopy, earmold impressions and hearing aid fitting.
Ashley said the skills she learned in the lab have already helped her better serve patients in the clinic setting.
“I remember the first patient I did cerumen management with after training,” she said. “While I was still nervous, I felt prepared. I had practiced on CARL’s artificial ear with different tools, different lighting and different magnifiers and felt confident in my abilities once seeing a patient.”
Faculty members say that confidence boost is exactly why CARL matters. As audiology grows more complex, students need experience before they ever touch a live patient.
“We are so grateful to AHEC for providing CARL to the NIU Audiology program,” said Danica Billingsly, clinical associate professor and audiology clinical coordinator. “CARL provides low-risk early learning opportunities for students in amplification and assessment courses as well as the cerumen management workshop.”
Billingsly said CARL’s ability to mimic a wide range of patient presentations makes it especially valuable during teaching sessions.
“Because CARL has a variety of ear textures and colors and sits very patiently for repeated work, students quickly build their skills and confidence for live clinical settings,” she said.
In addition to strengthening coursework, CARL helps instructors teach in ways that feel more immediate and engaging.
“Instead of just holding up a tool or showing a video, I can wheel a CARL into the room and demonstrate techniques in real time,” Billingsly said.
Northeast Illinois AHEC supported the project as part of its mission to expand access to skilled health professionals in underserved regions. AHEC is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, the federal agency responsible for strengthening the health care workforce for communities that are geographically isolated or medically vulnerable.
“At AHEC, our goal is to expand access to meaningful training opportunities so students can thrive in the healthcare field,” said Deyci Ramirez, director of Northeast Illinois AHEC. “Programs like this provide students with early exposure, strengthen their skill sets, and help cultivate the next generation of healthcare professionals that our communities urgently need.”
With CARL now in the lab, audiology students can practice safely, learn from mistakes and walk into clinical settings feeling prepared.
Learn more about Northeast Illinois AHEC and audiology at NIU.
